The inconsistency that marked the first few days of Browns training camp for rookie QB Brandon Weeden has vanished. The sharpness he displayed in minicamp has reappeared.
Weeden has emerged as clearly the most accurate mid-range and deep passer of the trio allegedly battling for the starting spot. He could be named the starter before the first preseason game next Saturday in Detroit.
The improved performance of Weeden is not merely an indication of his talent and his familiarity with the offense. It's also a reflection on the encouraging play of the receiving corps.
WRs Greg Little, the oft-maligned Mohamed Massaquoi and rookies Josh Gordon and Travis Benjamin have separated well in team drills, displayed sure hands and even made spectacular catches. Little wowed the crowd on Friday with two one-handed grabs in the end zone and one diving, sprawling catch for a touchdown.
Weeden has been duly impressed, particularly with Little and Massaquoi. "Greg and Mohamed have been making those double-route moves and making plays in the corner," Weeden said. "They're good at that. We've been working a lot on over-the-shoulder plays. We work on that because any corner will tell you that it's tough to stop."
The talents of Weeden and size and athleticism of Little and Gordon have also opened up new opportunities in the red zone, where the Browns failed miserably in 2011.
Both receivers could thrive on fade routes. It sounds simple, but the key to the team's badly needed improvement offensively is scoring touchdowns. They managed just 20 last year and finished 30th in the NFL with 218 points scored. It was the most meager total since their expansion season of 1999.
Enthusiasm must be tempered by the realization that the Browns have yet to play a preseason game. But the talent level of their skill position players, including impressive running back Trent Richardson, has grown markedly over the past year. Whether that translates to greater production once the regular season begins remains to be seen.
Considering that the Browns opened last year with Massaquoi and even more disappointing Brian Robiskie as their starting receivers, a significant upgrade seems inevitable.
Stay dialed in on the Cleveland Browns with correspondent Marty Gitlin on Twitter at @CBSSportsNFLCLE.
Weeden has emerged as clearly the most accurate mid-range and deep passer of the trio allegedly battling for the starting spot. He could be named the starter before the first preseason game next Saturday in Detroit.
The improved performance of Weeden is not merely an indication of his talent and his familiarity with the offense. It's also a reflection on the encouraging play of the receiving corps.
WRs Greg Little, the oft-maligned Mohamed Massaquoi and rookies Josh Gordon and Travis Benjamin have separated well in team drills, displayed sure hands and even made spectacular catches. Little wowed the crowd on Friday with two one-handed grabs in the end zone and one diving, sprawling catch for a touchdown.
Weeden has been duly impressed, particularly with Little and Massaquoi. "Greg and Mohamed have been making those double-route moves and making plays in the corner," Weeden said. "They're good at that. We've been working a lot on over-the-shoulder plays. We work on that because any corner will tell you that it's tough to stop."
The talents of Weeden and size and athleticism of Little and Gordon have also opened up new opportunities in the red zone, where the Browns failed miserably in 2011.
Both receivers could thrive on fade routes. It sounds simple, but the key to the team's badly needed improvement offensively is scoring touchdowns. They managed just 20 last year and finished 30th in the NFL with 218 points scored. It was the most meager total since their expansion season of 1999.
Enthusiasm must be tempered by the realization that the Browns have yet to play a preseason game. But the talent level of their skill position players, including impressive running back Trent Richardson, has grown markedly over the past year. Whether that translates to greater production once the regular season begins remains to be seen.
Considering that the Browns opened last year with Massaquoi and even more disappointing Brian Robiskie as their starting receivers, a significant upgrade seems inevitable.
Stay dialed in on the Cleveland Browns with correspondent Marty Gitlin on Twitter at @CBSSportsNFLCLE.
