NFL News: Trent Richardson is “full go” as Browns camp looms
July 22, 2013NBA News: Andrew Bynum’s contract details emerge
July 22, 2013Brandon Weeden is not a player that lacks confidence. From the first time he spoke after the draft, to training camp to post game comments, Weeden never seemed to doubt his ability. When he spoke to the media on Monday morning, that confidence was on display again. Earlier in the day, head coach Rob Chudzinski confirmed that Weeden is going to take the first-team reps in training camp. This shouldn’t be much of a surprise as the Browns need to know what they have in the second year QB. For Weeden, the announcement doesn’t change his approach to camp or how he prepares.
“My main focus is becoming a better player—becoming a leader on this team,” said Weeden.
In order to do that, Weeden knows that there are parts of his game that he needs to improve upon. For Brandon, those improvements start with improved mechanics and footwork that new head coach Rob Chudzinski and offensive coordinator Norv Turner want to see from him. Weeden said that he has been working nonstop on those mechanics.
With the improved footwork comes the ability to see the field quicker and get the ball out of his hand faster.
“Speeding it up mentally,” Weeden said. “That’s all I focused on for the last six weeks.”
Part of Weeden’s off season training included throwing to a familiar target in wide receiver Greg Little. Little joined Weeden in Oklahoma along with Josh Cooper and other NFL wide receivers and training camp hopefuls.
“Three really hard days of work,” he said of the time spent with his wide receviers. “I threw until I couldn’t throw anymore, and he ran until he couldn’t run anymore. We got a lot of work in. It was good having Greg come in.”
Of course, having a year under his belt in the NFL certainly doesn’t hurt his confidence. Weeden comes to training camp this season with a understanding of how fast the NFL game is and what it takes to prepare for not just a game, but a season. The former Oklahoma State Cowboy may have been confident in his physical abilities when he stepped off the plane last year, but now he is confident in his ability to play the game at the NFL level.
“I feel like a completely different player,” Weeden said of his year-over-year growth. “Knowing what to expect. Coming in last year, I didn’t know anybody in the locker room, I didn’t know the routine. There were so many unknowns. Now I’ve been in it for a year. I know how the weekly routine goes—I’ve got myself into a routine. I’m going to play with confidence. I’m going to go out there and I’m not going to be timid. I’m going to go out there and play hard and leave it on the line and take the chances I did. I’m going to throw the ball in tight windows and trust my arm.”
Hopefully for the Browns, the young players around Weeden feel the same. The team, and particularly the offense is still very young. Last season the Browns had a rookie or second year player lead them in just about every significant statistical category on offense. The season could hinge on what kind of leap that young core takes in year two. According to Weeden, they are ready for the challenge.
“I can sense that guys are hungry,” he said. “Offensively and defensively combined, I think the way that things went last year, we weren’t very excited. We all knew we left a lot of things on the table, we weren’t able to close the games that we should have. With that being said, I think guys know what to expect. Whether it’s Travis (Benjamin), Josh (Gordon), myself, Trent (Richardson) or Mitch (Schwartz) there were a lot of young guys on that team that were right there first time against the Philadelphia Eagles. I expect everybody to come and be excited for what we have in store. I think we have a good football team. I’m excited about the pieces we have in place.”
Training camp opens for Weeden and his teammates on Thursday.
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(Photo: Rick Grayshock, WFNY)
22 Comments
I’m excited too. I always am at this time of year before potential succumbs to reality. I am only half-kidding when I say that I really wish training camp had started already so we can start hearing stories about which players look bigger, stronger, more skilled, etc. The line about Weeden’s improved footwork will have to fill today’s quota.
Patience. There will be plenty of more less stuff soon.
I love the looks on the faces of all of the reporters in that photo.
“Tired of this stuff, and not buying it.”
Or am I projecting?
there will also be the opposite angles:
“I threw until I couldn’t throw anymore”
Breaking News: Brandon Weeden Can No Longer Throw!!!!
dude in the Brown shirt seems to be thinking about what to order for lunch
CLIFFS: IMMA UNLEASH THE (Ed note: we keep it clean around these parts. Refer to the tab entitled Before you comment.) CANNON ATTACHED TO MY SHOULDER BLADE
But what if my parents don’t want me to have more? I’ll be all like, “We want more, we want more!”
“Did a UFO talk him onto the ship in Oklahoma or is that his real complexion? Everybody better stay a few feet back”
Or maybe I’m projecting.
Rough weekend, Harv?
You need to requisition yourself some “Before you comment.”
well … (buffering) … well …
Now you done used a big word that I have no idea what it means so Imma take it as disrespectful
Just have to stay out of the news… Something OSU did not succeed in
Lets see he has no work ethic, does not know the play book, folds under pressure, has trouble reading defenses and throws like a minor league pitcher reject and did not have enough kahunas to suit up for the Steelers last year. And the team lost their best scorer. I am really confident that Campbell will soon be the starter. The Hillbillies are now in charge, Clowns are in Cleveland and the Browns are in Baltimore.
These are some interesting shots at Weeden, and it seems like they are completely baseless. I’m not sure how you arrived at the conclusion that he has no work ethic and doesn’t know the playbook, especially since it’s a new playbook for just about everybody on the team who hasn’t worked with Norv Turner or Rob Chudzinski. I actually saw that Weeden’s wife had tweeted out a picture of him studying the playbook on the airplane as they left for a weekend trip… it kind of seems like he actually has a great work ethic and does study the playbook. “Has trouble reading defenses” – you just explained the biggest hurdle for every rookie QB. “Throws like a minor league pitcher reject” – most of what I have read and seen indicates that Weeden has great arm strength and his accuracy should improve as he gets more familiar with his receivers. The team lost their best scorer… you mean Gordon? He’s only out for 2 games and he wasn’t/isn’t the team’s best scorer. Also… Hillbillies? Come on now… there’s no reason to make up reasons to be pessimistic, I’m sure the Browns will provide some real reasons to be pessimistic once the season starts. We just need to be patient and wait it out.
I think you are projecting a little bit.
Hillbillies is a pseudo-racist term to describe the front office and/or coaching staff. The politically correct thing to do would be to trade next year’s first round pick for Mike Vick, and immediately promote Ray Horton to team president. In an unrlated story, President Obama said that if his son played footbal, he would look like Jason Campbell.
That is if he does not go wee wee in his pants first. He is a panty waist. if he has a great work ethic then I am blind as a bat. I have seen browns come and go over the years. I grew up in the 60’s and saw greats play like Sipe, Paul Warfeild, gary Collins, Leroy Kelly to just name a few. been a fan since 58. But this guy is a number one panty waist. he is even more of a panty waist than couch or Phipps was. he was afraid to suit up for the Steelers. The number top scorer on the team was…..Phil Dawson
What would you call some from Tenn that runs a trucking company and was a part time owner of the Steelers. it seems hilly billy fits to a tee
You are right on they are saying this guy is a chump loser now lets see could not cut in baseball and now will soon be a washout in football. I am sue that the new browns will be able to win against St.Joe’s in O would be hard pressed to win against iggy
2nd alltime scorer in Cleveland Brown history is Phil Dawson. Obviously, Jim Brown was garbage since he is only 4th on the list.
If it was not for Phil Dawson how many times do you little mr pee wee could had put points on the board. Any Brown that has a heartbeat and does not suit up for the steelers need to be sent down the road. Y’all that a current Browns fans do not know what a class act the browns of the past were. the team has been a miserable failure since coming back into the league. They have been failure after failure year after year. The loyal fans still fill the stadium, but the team just keeps down the toilet. that picture of Weedhead was a staged PR photo. Jim Brown was one of the greatest there ever was, but he ran out on the team for Hollywood, whereas Leroy Kelly came and stayed along with Byner. They had the heart. JB had so much natural talent that he could have set all time records that could never have been topped. My point is that the Browns of today will no doubt disappoint the browns fans and weedhead is evidence of that fact that mediocre player are now starters. sure he has great arm strength, but does not have work ethic, leadership skills or ability that the rest of the team will respect and follow. football is not a game for the panty waist