Second-year wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi says his rookie season felt like a blur. In an interview with Ohio.com, Massaquoi says the speed was the major difference between college and the NFL. Massaquoi is confident he's found a way to slow the game down a bit into a more understandable process. ''Now, I know there's a way to organize the chaos,'' he...
Mohamed MassaquoiSecond-year wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi says his rookie season felt like a blur.
In an interview with Ohio.com, Massaquoi says the speed was the major difference between college and the NFL. Massaquoi is confident he's found a way to slow the game down a bit into a more understandable process.
''Now, I know there's a way to organize the chaos,'' he said. ''Last year was just a lot of chaos going on, just not knowing where guys were because at this level everybody's smart and everybody's athletic.''
His rookie season was difficult both mentally and physically for Massaquoi.
''When I look back on some of the things I did last year, I definitely understand the game a little more now,'' Massaquoi said. ''I definitely understand why I do certain things versus just going out there and doing it. Understanding the game really helps slow it down so you know what's going on rather than just reacting all the time.''
Adjusting to his second season may also be a challenge because Massaquoi will have to get used to two new quarterbacks in Jake Delhomme and backup Seneca Wallace.
Delhomme will also have to adjust to the Browns' young receivers. So far, so good.
''I think they are doing an outstanding job,'' Delhomme said recently of the progress of the team's young receivers. ''It's different guys. I think they all have their strengths [and] are extremely intelligent. They understand, and they work. These kids, they work their tail off.''
Linebackers
The Cleveland Browns may have many holes, but it isn't at the linebacker position. Of all of the positions, the Browns' linebacker core is solid.
For example, writes reporter Scott Petrak on Chronicleonline.com, when starting inside linebacker D’Qwell Jackson injured his right pectoral muscle, the Browns had a solid replacement.
Either Eric Barton or David Bowens could fill in for Jackson.
Scott Fujita has been primarily an outside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme, but is smart enough and big enough (6-foot-5, 250) to move inside in the 3-4 if needed. Trusnik and Kaluka Maiava made spot starts inside last season.
“It’s nice to have the guys that we have with the experience that we have,” Mangini said. “Right on down the line to have that ability, to plug another guy in that is very comfortable in that area and has a wealth of playing time. I think that’s helped.”
Barton got the initial call to replace Jackson and will start Saturday night in Green Bay in the preseason opener. He and Gocong are interchangeable on the strong and weak sides, which Mangini prefers.
Packers special teams
The Cleveland Browns will play the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night in preseason action. We all know about the special team play of Josh Cribbs, but the Packers will counter with their own special player on special teams in Brandon Jackson.
Jackson, writes Mike Vandermause of Greenbaypressgazette.com, wants to score the team's first kickoff return for a touchdown in 10 years.
Will Blackmon is considered the Packers’ top return man, although his specialty is punt runbacks. He is coming off knee surgery, and the Packers are being cautious with him. Blackmon sat out the scrimmage as well as Friday’s practice to take some pressure off his knee joint, according to coach Mike McCarthy, but is expected back soon.
The question is, will the kickoff return job be available when Blackmon returns, based on Jackson’s stellar effort?
“That’s to be determined,” McCarthy said. “Brandon knows how the kickoff return needs to be run. It’s a little change of philosophy from what we’ve done in the past. He demonstrated tonight that he can do it the right way. He definitely (will) have an opportunity for that.”