Mostly unwatchable for several seasons Shelby Harris Jersey , the Cleveland Browns could become a summer TV sensation.
HBO’s banking on it.
”It’s an underdog story,” said network executive Peter Nelson. ”And people love rooting for underdogs.”
Despite the Browns’ 0-16 record last season and dismal decades of futility for one of the league’s signature franchises, NFL Films insists the Browns are the team it wanted to feature most on ”Hard Knocks,” the award-winning documentary series that takes fans behind the scenes for an in-depth look at the grind – and the drama – of training camp.
”We got the team we wanted,” said Ken Rodgers, NFL Films VP senior coordinating producer, ”our No. 1 pick, the Browns, to be on our show. We think it’s the right time with the right team.”
Rodgers said the Browns were appealing on so many levels, but mostly because of their comeback story – the climb to being competitive again – is universal and strikes a chord with any sports fan.
”We tell our kids that it’s not about how you get knocked down, it’s about how you get back up and this is a unique situation, having such turnover on the roster, of starting anew, with some old pieces Demaryius Thomas Jersey , with some valuable new pieces, that we just felt will speak to a lot of fans,” he said.
”What we generally think of when we select a team is, who would the national audience be interested in finding out what’s going on, what’s going on with the team? And nationally now, the Browns are a big story, rightfully so.”
Cleveland had one of the busiest offseasons of any team. The Browns traded for quarterback Tyrod Taylor and Pro Bowl wide receiver Jarvis Landry before selecting Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield with the first overall pick in the draft. Mayfield’s arrival has energized Cleveland’s fan base and created a national buzz about the Browns.
NFL Films is certain to train its cameras on the colorful Mayfield, whose on-field antics at Oklahoma earned him a bad-boy reputation.
During his opening remarks, Rodgers said he wanted to ”address the elephant in the room” and seemed to be implying Mayfield.
”I think a lot of people will be asking how much a certain someone will be featured,” he said, ”and this position on a football team demands a lot of attention, and it has always been that way for ”Hard Knocks.” So, yes, we definitely will be featuring head coach Hue Jackson.”
Cleveland’s third-year coach previously appeared on ”Hard Knocks” when he was on Cincinnati’s staff in 2013. Jackson enjoyed the experience and said he’s not worried about the added camera crews and attention around camp affecting the QB battle between Taylor and Mayfield.
”It’s a competition anyway Jerry Hughes Jersey ,” he said. ”Tyrod’s our starting quarterback. Baker’s our No. 1 pick. He’s our quarterback of the future. I’ve said that since this happened. I don’t think that will change. I want those guys to be exposed for what they do, because I think our fans want to know them and what makes the tick. But at the same time, I don’t think it should put any more pressure on what we need to do as a football team about who’s playing quarterback for us.”
Jackson plans to speak to his team about appearing on the show. He doesn’t want anything to alter their focus in camp, and he’s confident the Browns’ leaders will make sure players don’t play up to the cameras.
Running back Duke Johnson fears some of his teammates may see the show as an opportunity for publicity.
”I hope it doesn’t really change much, but it’s easy to say that now – there’s no cameras here,” he said following practice. ”I hope we don’t have a lot of guys that turn into actors and try to be all Hollywood. If Hollywood is what you want to do after football, go for it.”
Jackson made it clear he doesn’t want HBO’s cameras around next week when he makes good on his promise and jumps into Lake Erie.
”No, please, no,” he said.
NOTES: Johnson said he’s ”very optimistic” that he’ll work out a contract extension with the team. He’s in the final year of his rookie deal. ”It’s going well,” he said. ”It’s not going bad. This is kind of my first contract negotiation. I’m not sure the timetable of when it’s supposed to be done, when it should be done, so we’re taking it one day at a time.” Johnson led the team in catches (74) and yards receiving (693) last season.
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Captain Munnerlyn took one glance at the Carolina Panthers wide receivers’ 40-yard times and couldn’t believe what he saw.
The veteran cornerback has never seen such a compilation of speed amassed at one position on a roster in any of his 10 NFL training camps.
”Oh man, we got some fast receivers Pharoh Cooper Jersey ,” Munnerlyn said. ”I was like, `Wow, almost everyone runs a 4.4 or lower. That’s crazy.’ We have some speed on this team – and we probably needed it.”
That’s an understatement.
The Panthers offense stagnated last season as quarterback Cam Newton found himself with no deep threats after Ted Ginn Jr. left to sign with the New Orleans Saints as a free agent and youngsters Curtis Samuel and Damierre Byrd went down with injuries.
The trickledown effect of not having anyone to stretch the field, combined with three-time 1,000 yard receiving tight end Greg Olsen missing most of the season with a foot injury made Newton’s job last season extremely difficult. It also played havoc with the team’s running game as opposing defenses were able to walk an extra defender into the box. Carolina still finished 11-5 and earned a wild card despite finishing 19th in offense but lacked the firepower to make a run in the NFC playoffs.
General manager Marty Hurney wasn’t about to let that happen again.
The Panthers upgraded their speed at wide receiver by trading for Torrey Smith, signing free agent Jarius Wright and selecting the elusive D.J. Moore from Maryland in the first round of the NFL draft.
Smith has averaged 16.4 yards per catch during his seven NFL seasons with the Ravens, 49ers and, most recently, the Super Bowl champion Eagles. Wright joins the Panthers after six seasons with the Vikings, where he worked under new Panthers offensive coordinator Norv Turner and averaged 13.3 yards per catch. Moore caught 80 passes last season at Maryland and earned a reputation as a receiver who makes defenders miss and piles up yards after the catch.
With Samuel and Byrd coming back from injuries, Newton should have no shortage of options when it comes to stretching the field.
”I think we would probably have the fastest track team in the NFL for sure,” Wright said. ”We got a 1A and a 1B team. That’s how fast our receiving corps is.”
Coach Ron Rivera is quietly optimistic.
He said the Panthers ”have some speed that we haven’t had in a while” at the wide receiver and defensive back positions.
”I think that is a good thing for us,” Rivera said. ”We can be a fast team.”
All of that is good news for Newton, who was limited to 22 touchdown passes and 16 interceptions in 2017 – two years after throwing 35 TD passes and 10 interceptions while earning league MVP honors and leading the Panthers to the Super Bowl.
The logical thinking is if defenses have to honor the deep threat it will allow Olsen and No. 1 receiver Devin Funchess to work underneath the coverage – and also free up rushing lanes for running back Christian McCaffrey and Newton Malik Jackson Jersey , the team’s leading rusher last season.
Funchess may not be the fastest wide receiver on the roster, but he figures to play a huge role in the passing game.
He moved over to the ”X” position, or No. 1 receiver spot, during the middle of last season after the Panthers abruptly traded former No. 1 draft pick Kelvin Benjamin to the Buffalo Bills.
Funchess and Benjamin were considered similar possession-type receivers, and Hurney said at the time he wanted to get more speed on the field.
Funchess responded with some solid games in Benjamin’s absence, and finished the season with 63 receptions for 840 yards and eight touchdowns despite routinely seeing double coverage. He’ll have plenty of motivation to improve on that production given that he’ll become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
”I focus on strictly football and that part has nothing to do with me,” Funchess said. ”If (the Panthers) want to (get a deal done), they can. … I’m out here to play football, work with coach Turner, work with the rest of the wide receivers, and talk a little trash to (Panthers linebacker) Thomas Davis.”
Wright likes what he sees so far from the wideouts.
”I think we have one of the best groups in the NFL,” Wright said. ”We have so many guys that bring a lot of different things to the game. But every guy can run out there. With so many playmakers, an experienced offensive coordinator and an MVP quarterback like Cam Newton our offense should be rolling.”
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