Despite the uncertainties, coach Eric Mangini says he's still encouraged by the play of the offensive line.
View full sizeBrowns offensive llineman Shawn Lauvao, center, hurt his ankle Wednesday and missed practice Thursday. It's unclear how much more time, if any, he'll miss. BEREA, Ohio — The right side of the Browns' offensive line is still in flux as the opener approaches.
Rookie guard Shawn Lauvao missed practice Thursday after twisting his left ankle the day before. Veteran Floyd Womack moved back into the starting spot after missing most of the preseason with knee issues.
Meanwhile, John St. Clair, back after missing a couple weeks for personal reasons, is still listed as the starting right tackle ahead of Tony Pashos.
Asked if he's disappointed the right side is still unsettled, coach Eric Mangini said: "No, I think I'm really encouraged by the way they've all played. I'd rather much be in the situation where you have confidence in all the guys being able to play, than you will settle with these two but you don't necessarily have the confidence that you need in the guys that could be in one play."
For a while, it looked like the starting right side for Tampa Bay would consist of Lauvao and Pashos. But Mangini said it's up in the air, depending on how the week unfolds. He even included St. Clair as a candidate to play right guard.
Womack, for one, is unconcerned about how it shakes out.
"I don't think it'll be a problem," he said. "I think we've been around each other enough to know what's going on. We'll be ready."
Mangini wouldn't say whether Lauvao would miss more time. But as an insurance policy, he brought back Billy Yates, a swingman at center and guard. Linebacker Titus Brown was waived to make room.
Hot times: According to the Browns, Sunday's opener in Tampa, Fla., could be one of the hottest games in club history. The highest recorded temperature at the start of a Browns game was 95 degrees Sept. 9, 1984, in Anaheim, Calif.
The weather forecast for Sunday in Tampa calls for temperatures above 90 degrees and a heat index of 110. Mangini continued Thursday working the team indoors with the heat turned up, but it's impossible to simulate the conditions waiting in Tampa.
Left tackle Joe Thomas, a native of Wisconsin, said it will be his first experience playing "in significant heat."
Thomas isn't sure that Cleveland's long, hot summer prepared the team for Tampa.
"You can't really get used to sweating," Thomas said. "There were some tough days. Like anything else in football, sometimes you have to dig deep, gut it out and survive. I'm one of the more weight-challenged guys at practice because I do sweat a lot."
Thomas said during the heat of August, he lost about 25 pounds in a single day of double practices.
"Twelve in the morning and 12 to 14 in the afternoon," Thomas said. "You gain it right back because as soon as you lose that, you get two bags of IVs and a big meal. But it can't be very good for your body to be losing weight like that. And you don't feel good for a while until you get your fluids back."
Thomas said he is at his normal playing weight of about 315 pounds. He might dip below 300 after Sunday, however.
Rogers speaks: Shaun Rogers spoke with the media for the first time since the team reported to training camp July 31. Rogers, who was cleared to practice this week, said he's happy to be back to work with the full team and doesn't mind if he is moved to defensive end to make room for emerging nose tackle Ahtyba Rubin.
"Whatever they ask of me. Whatever they think is best, I'll do," he said. "It's D-line. Long as I don't have to play wideout, we'll be all right."
Rogers said he doesn't expect to automatically be at full strength after missing all of preseason. He admitted he was "sucking wind" in his first full practice Wednesday.
"There's always a learning curve. Every year's a new year. There's new defenses, chemistry. I'm happy to be back and working to develop those things," he said.
Like most of the defensive players, Rogers figures to be on a "rep count" in Tampa's steamy conditions. The object will be to have fresh legs available in the brutal fourth quarter.
Fujita's take: Linebacker Scott Fujita likes what he sees of his new team after spending the past four years with the New Orleans Saints.
"Until you get into live action, you never really know," he said. "I remember back four years ago, coming off a tough training camp in New Orleans, our first year together, and we really didn't know what we had yet. I have a much better sense about this group than I did about that group.
"We had a bunch of ragtag guys from different teams, didn't do well in preseason, and won some games early. This group, I feel a lot more cohesiveness, guys communicate better. I feel guys know what they're doing, more than we did in New Orleans four years ago."
The Saints team of which Fujita spoke surprised everyone by going 10-6 and winning the NFC South. Three years later, the Saints won the Super Bowl.
Back to school: The Browns have another up-close look at one of the top defensive players in the draft in Tampa Bay tackle Gerald McCoy, who was taken No. 3 overall. In the preseason, they handled No. 2 pick Ndamukong Suh of Detroit fairly well.
Center Alex Mack said of McCoy: "McCoy's a little faster. He looks like a really good player, gets off the ball quick. Not quite as strong as Suh, but he's still strong. I think speed wins. It's more dangerous."
Injury report: Besides Lauvao, who didn't practice with a twisted ankle, the Browns added tight end Robert Royal to their injury report. Royal (ankle) did participate fully . . . Tampa quarterback Josh Freeman (thumb) returned to full participation.