Depth Chart

Romeo sent his preliminary depth chart to the league. It doesn't mean too much right now, but does fit Romeo's pattern:

Kenny Wright is listed as the starting RCB. Why? League seniority. The fact that he's been a fourth and fifth CB throughout his carreer and is getting up there in years means much less than the simple fact that he's been around for a long time.

I might be knocking a good player here, of course, as all the reports of his performance in training camp are very positive. I can't bash Memorex Morons and be one myself, after all! So if Kenny is the best, then so be it.

But he's almost certainly NOT. ERIC Wright is playing like he's been doing it his whole life, and his upside is as close to unlimitted as you can get.

Shaun Smith is listed as the starting LDE. I've said in previous posts that he's no DE, but I reckon Grantham knows better than me, and hereby magnanimously defer to him. Probobly, in Grantham's system, the LDE doesn't need to be very fast, and he's one of those guys who can overcome a big height disadvantage.

But he's most likely NOT a passing down, and maybe not even neutral down, DE. But he's been around longer than the Parker or Fraser, ergo must start ahead of the taller, faster, more versatile and athletic players.

Jason Wright ahead of Harrison. Mmm-hmm. Could be that at this point he really is better. But he doesn't need to be. Not with Romeo.

If Savage hadn't cut Gramps Russell, guess who would still be keeping Brodney Pool on the bench.

Well, Kenny Wright is dinged up, so Romeo will be forced to give Eric Wright the practice time, and because of this, may be unable to screw him out of a starting job.

SELF-CORRECTION: In a previous post I referred to Kelly Butler by some other guy's name. All references to the RT behind Shaffer and Tucker mean Butler. We have this other veteran guy who backs up left and right tackle, and has even been experimented with at guard, but this guy is a journeyman back-up, and that's all.

Undrafted Charles Ali is now listed right behind Vickers at fullback. I think he's going to make the team, because he's a phenominal blocker with underrated recieving skills. Probably, at 6'2", 265, he can help on most, of not all, of the special teams units, and would belong on the field anytime the offense goes "jumbo" and tries to run somebody over (or get them all bunched up and then sneak a pass in there).

I think local boy Steve Sanders might make it, too. He's not a home run hitter by any means, but he seems to get open and make the catch, wherever it is. Like Jurevicious. We've got Carter and Edwards...and Cribbs, if he gets better...and Winslow for the big plays, but you also need clutch guys on your team.

I was surprised to read reports about Jamal Lewis running around making catches out of the backfield (and looking good doing it). He's never been used that way before, and I stupidly assumed that he couldn't. Well, that's cool: another dimension; another variable the defense must cope with.

That's great. I mean, here on a neutral down, when it's a pass and there's no blitze (or "leak") for him to pick up, it could mean a big mess for the defense. Now he flares outside, in space, and might get the ball outside the tackle.

More reports on him: He's quicker than he was last season, and more explosive. Sounds good.

Hanford Dixon feels that the Browns will be a suprise this season. They've added a lot of very good players, with many young guys just emerging.

DUH!