Training Camp Notes: Still No Answer In Cleveland

Written by

Jake Letarski

Published on August 19, 2014

As much as I was tempted to search for a stock photo of Johnny Manziel telling the Washington sideline that they were No. 1, I resisted and went with a slightly more conservative approach. Arguably more memorable than the gesture and his ensuing reaction was the fact that neither quarterback was truly able to stand out in Monday's nationally televised showdown. No bad turnovers were committed, but both Manziel and incumbent Brian Hoyer missed open receivers, took sacks and were unable to lead a meaningful drive against the first-team defense. Simply put, this was the worst-case scenario for the Browns. Coach Mike Pettine and company had originally planned to sit down Tuesday and name their starter, but that has yet to happen, as neither option has taken the job that's been dangling in front of them. Look for this battle to rage on at least a bit longer, and if/when both quarterbacks continue to scuffle, Hoyer wins by default.

Amidst the sea of Johnny Football frenzy, Robert Griffin III also made an appearance on Monday night. At first glance, the numbers looked OK, as RGIII completed 6-of-8 passes for 112 yards, adding four carries for 24 yards on the ground. He did get picked off by Joe Haden, but what was more concerning was his continued inability to protect himself. First, he stumbled into an awkward slide, and later was thrown around like a rag doll when attempting to cut upfield, rather than jump out of bounds. The sliding part was the most frustrating to watch. Hasn't an emphasis been placed on protecting yourself after what's happened in the final two seasons? Isn't this a skill he should probably sure up? Granted it's just a preseason game, but his evident indifference towards risk-taking makes me want to run away from him in fantasy drafts. Owners that take a flier on him in his third NFL season better be ready to draft a backup 2-3 picks later.
Falcons wideout Julio Jones has been cleared to ramp up his workload, which likely means that he'll now be practicing on a daily basis. Coach Mike Smith wants him to get ready to carry a heavy workload in the regular season, which potentially means seeing up to 60 snaps/game. If I could be guaranteed a full 16-game season from the 25-year-old, I'd immediately bump him up into that top tier of WRs that includes Johnson/Thomas/Green/Bryant/Marshall. In 2012, Jones caught 79 passes for 1,198 yards and 10 touchdowns, and was only trending upward from there. Had the foot injury not cut his season short, the overall Falcons season would have been drastically different, and owners (like me) who drafted him could have had a top-3 receiver on their hands. Instead, we were left out of the playoffs, wondering what could have been.
Odell Beckham sat out Tuesday's practice for "precautionary reasons." Another day, another dollar. He's been ruled out for the Giants' Friday preseason contest, and I'm not touching the rookie in nearly any formats until he actually does something on the field.
Reggie Wayne has been ruled a "game-time" decision for the Colts' Saturday exhibition showdown with the Saints. He's an injury risk that doesn't concern me too much, as Wayne is an established veteran with a clear-cut job as the No. 1 receiver in Indy. Sure, 2014 will probably be the year that T.Y. Hilton surpasses him in terms of production, but I'm not completely counting out the 35-year-old. As I mentioned on the RotoWire Fantasy Football Podcast today, Wayne had huge numbers during his first season with Andrew Luck (106/1,355/5), and there's a chance he could pick up where he left off. He may get over-drafted in some leagues based on name recognition alone, but if owners are overlooking him, don't hesitate to grab the veteran as a WR3 or bench rotation option.
Tight ends Greg Olsen (calf) and Charles Clay (knee) were both back on the practice field Tuesday. Neither middle-tier TE is expected to miss Week 1 due to their ailments.
Montee Ball didn't participate in team drills Tuesday, but was able to get in some reps during the non-contact portion of practice. The Broncos won't rush him into contact any time soon due to his recent appendectomy, so I'd be a bit leery of using a top-15 pick on him after not seeing a single preseason carry. His absence has likely caused his value to come back down to earth, however, as his current ADP of 15.23 seems much more reasonable than where he was a month ago.
Both Eric Decker (quad) and Chris Ivory (ribs) are expected to take part in the Jets' third preseason game, which lands on Saturday against the Giants. Both had been limited in practice of late, but they should be on the field for at least a quarter or two in the Jets' dress rehearsal. This will be the first time this preseason that quarterback Geno Smith will have a full arsenal of weapons at his disposal, so it will be intriguing to see how this offense operates, especially against a pass defense that is generally regarded as one of the weaker ones in the league.
Robert Woods of the Buffalo Bills had a strong showing at Monday's practice, filling in for the injured Sammy Watkins (rib). It will be tough for Woods to match the 14.7 average he posted in his rookie season, but if the Watkins injury doesn't subside by the regular season, the 22-year-old Woods could serve as a late sleeper in deeper formats.