The player to watch in the crowded Browns linebacker group is Marcus Benard. The coaches have been watching him grow as a complete player for a year.
Marcus Benard has gone from an undrafted free agent scrambling to draw some attention a year ago into a projected starter for the Browns' linebacker corps and the recipient of some praise from Eric Mangini. "Where Marcus is now versus Marcus a year ago, it's night and day," Mangini said. "He was about as raw as you can get, in terms of a college player, and his development as a player and as a person has been tremendous."BEREA, Ohio -- The Browns selected linebackers in the second and fourth rounds of Eric Mangini's 2009 draft, but the player making the biggest strides is one they did not draft.
Marcus Benard, signed last year as an undrafted free agent out of Jackson State, is navigating his way through a crowded position group. After leading the Browns in tackles in the Green Bay game, Benard was promoted to the No. 1 defense this week in practice.
The reconfigured linebacker alignment in the wake of D'Qwell Jackson's pectoral injury has Scott Fujita moving inside to join Chris Gocong, and Matt Roth and Benard at the outside spots. This grouping essentially replaces Eric Barton's smarts with Benard's speed.
Benard burst out of the anonymity of the practice squad last year when he sacked Ben Roethlisberger two times in the Browns' slump-busting win over Pittsburgh on Dec. 10. He has been on the coaching staff's radar screen ever since.
"Where Marcus is now versus Marcus a year ago, it's night and day," Mangini said. "He was about as raw as you can get, in terms of a college player, and his development as a player and as a person has been tremendous."
At Jackson State, Benard played defensive end and just chased quarterbacks in the historically black Southwestern Athletic Conference.
"They all run 4.3s [in the 40]. They're glorified running backs," Benard said. "At college, all I did was rush. When I came here, I had no clue. I was out of my element. I just ran hard. I ran hard and fast as I could and I did what I was supposed to do.
"This year, the game has slowed down. And I've slowed my body down. I'm not breathing as hard. My heart's not beating because I was [worried about] 'where am I supposed to be?' Now I know what I'm supposed to do and I'm trying to be a technician."
There is no room in Mangini's defense for a specialist. So for Benard to work his way into the starting unit, he had to develop his game as a complete linebacker. Evidence of his growth in the first preseason game was his seven tackles -- one for a loss -- to go along with a sack, forced fumble and a quarterback hurry.
"I'm working every day on becoming a complete linebacker because you have to be in a 3-4," Benard said. "Yes, you rush the quarterback, but you have to cover in a 3-4. You can't rush every down. So that's what they're working with me on, becoming a complete player.
Marcus Benard caught the fancy of Browns fans with his strong work in last year's home victory over the Steelers and QB Ben Roethlisberger, who was sacked on this second-quarter play by Benard."I'm making a lot of progress. I'm growing each day. Each day I write down what I need to work on in practice and I go and do it."
Benard's rush ability, however, was his ticket to the Browns. He was rated the 44th-best defensive end in the 2009 draft by NFLdraftscout.com. He weighed 270 pounds. Knowing Benard would not be drafted, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan contacted him before the draft to plant the seeds of a free agent contract.
"Rob's the reason I'm here," Benard said. "He kept telling me, 'Come pass rush for me. Get on the passer.'"
Benard is down about 14 pounds to 256 during his progression as a linebacker. His other responsibilities won't take away his innate sense for getting to the quarterback.
"It's something I have a knack for," he said. "You have to be relentless, high motor. You can't describe any great pass rusher as being OK, not being intense. It's an intense craft.
"If you're beating blocks, coming around the corners, you're getting double-teamed, getting chipped. You're gonna get blocked. Somebody's gonna get a hand on you. You can talk to the great pass rushers, it's not the first move, it's the second, or third move. And to have a second or third move, you have to be relentless."
Benard's description of the intensity of his position belies his off-field personality. He is a peaceful man who was surrounded by musicians growing up in Michigan. His mother played the organ in church and his brother the drums. His grandparents played orchestra. Benard learned to play five instruments by ear.
"I enjoy life," said the father of two sons. "Life is fun. Football's hard."
His growth in one year has been so dramatic that Mangini asked him during the off-season program to speak to the team's 2010 rookie class.
"He was thoughtful and eloquent and it was a powerful message from a guy that came from a small school and had to fight each day to stay in the building," Mangini said.
In that regard, Benard demonstrated the relentlessness he saw in the great pass rushers. Now he is striving for completeness.
"I want to be great," he said. "I feel I can be great. If I do what I'm told and follow the path, then I will be great."
That's a wrap: Thursday marks the final time the public can see the Browns practice. Training camp officially closes after two sessions at 8:45 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. ... The Browns did not practice on Wednesday and spent the day in meetings and body maintenance.
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