The defense stormed back in the second week of Browns offseason practices, as the unit "won" the day of third-down installation. Also, running back Jerome Harrison, an unsigned restricted free agent, joined the team this week but was excused on Thursday.
Rookie safety T.J. Ward made an impression with an interception over the middle during the Browns workout today.BEREA -- Instant observations on Browns organized team activity practice today ...
• Most of the work was on third downs. Unlike the red zone drills from the previous week, the defense won the day. Quarterbacks and receivers struggled against Rob Ryan's frequent blitz calls. Rookie safety Larry Asante had a two-handed rejection of a Jake Delhomme pass on one play. There were a lot more balls hitting the ground than a week ago.
• Rookie safety T.J. Ward's coverage skills have been lowly-rated in the pre- and post-draft period. But he looked pretty good intercepting a Delhomme pass for tight end Benjamin Watson in the deep middle of the field.
• Still no sign of the five unsigned restricted free agents and kicker Phil Dawson skipping OTAs. Coach Eric Mangini reported, however, that running back Jerome Harrison joined his teammates in workouts earlier in the week, but was excused today for reasons unrelated to his contract status.
• At the start of his remarks to the media, Mangini singled-out receiver Brian Robiskie as having a good start to the OTA season. Afterwards, Robiskie expressed excitement about the coming season. Not necessarily because he expects a breakout year after suffering through a seven-catch rookie season, either. Robiskie, who is all about team, said he's excited for the 2010 season because of the team's four-game winning streak at the end of last year. He also admitted the addition of veteran QBs Delhomme and Seneca Wallace will benefit the young receiving corps.
• Wallace, by the way, continues to display a knack for creating throwing lanes by moving in the pocket. And his arm is a lot stronger than you'd expect from an under-six foot quarterback.
• Saw Colt McCoy wing a pass on one of those sideline out routes so prevalent in the NFL game. Might have been 10 yards from the line of scrimmage, but an additional 10 yards to the sideline. It's the kind of pass that may have kept him from being drafted in the first round. It was completed, but coverage would be a lot tighter in a regular game.
• It's dangerous to draw conclusions from lineups in OTAs in May. Coaches may be experimenting and there could be some randomness to lineup rotations at this time. That said, the offensive line with the No. 1 unit was Joe Thomas at left tackle, Scott Kooistra at left guard, Alex Mack at center, rookie Shawn Lauvao at right guard and Tony Pashos at right tackle. Eric Steinbach was with the second team at left guard.
• Kwaku Danso, the big defensive lineman from Ghana who played (rarely) at East Carolina and is trying out for the team, lined up at nose tackle with the second team defense. He's listed as 6-5 and 326 pounds.
• Josh Cribbs said there is still a "Flash" package of Wildcat formation plays expressly for him. But the playbook now also has a "Cyclone" package featuring him and Wallace together. Cyclones is the nickname of Iowa State, Wallace's alma mater.
• Fullback Peyton Hillis, the player acquired from Denver in the Brady Quinn trade, isn't necessarily physically imposing, except for his arms. They are huge. I don't know the circumference of his biceps, but they are so extraordinarily large that everyone in the media was talking about them.