The Browns have had fewer white players and white starters in each of Romeo Crennel's four seasons as the head coach in Cleveland. From 9 white starters in 2005 -- including 4 on defense -- and 22 white players overall, the 2008 Brownies have but 5 white starters and 15 white players on the roster to begin the season.
The change is particularly noticeable on defense. From 4 starters three seasons ago, there is now but a single white defensive player, Nick Sorensen, who is listed as a safety but is used almost exclusively as a White Special Teams Demon.
Other than Sorensen and the kickers and long snapper, all of the other white players are offensive linemen, quarterbacks, and backup TE Steve Heiden.
Cleveland started an all-white offensive line last year, one of three NFL teams to do so (the others were New England and Green Bay). This year four of the five starters are white -- Seth McKinney, who started at right guard last season, begins '08 as a backup. Kevin Shaffer is the right tackle, Hank Fraley out of Robert Morris, "Old Stumpy," is the center, Eric Steinbach starts at left guard, and Joe Thomas is the left tackle. Thomas, the second overall pick of the '07 draft from Wisconsin, has more than lived up to his draft position.
Besides McKinney, Ryan Tucker and Scott Young are o-line backups.
Derek Anderson was perhaps the biggest surprise of the 2007 NFL season, stepping in after Charlie Frye was summarily dispatched to Seattle following the first game of the regular season and promptly playing at an all-star level. The 6-6 230 pound Anderson threw for nearly 3,800 yards and tossed 29 TD passes, astonishing the drunk white fans and Brian Billick, Baltimore's former "offensive genius," who had cut Anderson in training camp in 2005 after drafting him.
Brady Quinn is stuck behind Anderson again. Quinn, a far better athlete than Jamarcus Russell, the rotund overall first pick of the '07 draft, will most likely be yet another white star at quarterback when he gets his opportunity, with Cleveland or another team, as he is smart, mobile, and has an accurate arm.
Former Miami star Ken Dorsey is the Browns' third quarterback.
33-year-old WR Joe Jurevicius is on the PUP list to begin the season, burdened again with major knee problems. Jurevicius was Cleveland's number two receiver the past two seasons but will likely be used as their third WR in '08 if his knees allow him to play. But then again, given that number two WR Donte Stallworth can't even get through warmups without getting injured, Joe may yet see a lot of action at some point this season.
WR Kevin Kasper, seemingly waived by half the teams in the NFL without ever getting a genuine opportunity to play, looked like he was going to make the team as the third or fourth receiver but was put on IR with a neck injury.
NUMBER OF WHITE STARTERS: 5
APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF WHITE PLAYERS ON 53 MAN ROSTER: 15
GRADE: F+
The change is particularly noticeable on defense. From 4 starters three seasons ago, there is now but a single white defensive player, Nick Sorensen, who is listed as a safety but is used almost exclusively as a White Special Teams Demon.
Other than Sorensen and the kickers and long snapper, all of the other white players are offensive linemen, quarterbacks, and backup TE Steve Heiden.
Cleveland started an all-white offensive line last year, one of three NFL teams to do so (the others were New England and Green Bay). This year four of the five starters are white -- Seth McKinney, who started at right guard last season, begins '08 as a backup. Kevin Shaffer is the right tackle, Hank Fraley out of Robert Morris, "Old Stumpy," is the center, Eric Steinbach starts at left guard, and Joe Thomas is the left tackle. Thomas, the second overall pick of the '07 draft from Wisconsin, has more than lived up to his draft position.
Besides McKinney, Ryan Tucker and Scott Young are o-line backups.
Derek Anderson was perhaps the biggest surprise of the 2007 NFL season, stepping in after Charlie Frye was summarily dispatched to Seattle following the first game of the regular season and promptly playing at an all-star level. The 6-6 230 pound Anderson threw for nearly 3,800 yards and tossed 29 TD passes, astonishing the drunk white fans and Brian Billick, Baltimore's former "offensive genius," who had cut Anderson in training camp in 2005 after drafting him.
Brady Quinn is stuck behind Anderson again. Quinn, a far better athlete than Jamarcus Russell, the rotund overall first pick of the '07 draft, will most likely be yet another white star at quarterback when he gets his opportunity, with Cleveland or another team, as he is smart, mobile, and has an accurate arm.
Former Miami star Ken Dorsey is the Browns' third quarterback.
33-year-old WR Joe Jurevicius is on the PUP list to begin the season, burdened again with major knee problems. Jurevicius was Cleveland's number two receiver the past two seasons but will likely be used as their third WR in '08 if his knees allow him to play. But then again, given that number two WR Donte Stallworth can't even get through warmups without getting injured, Joe may yet see a lot of action at some point this season.
WR Kevin Kasper, seemingly waived by half the teams in the NFL without ever getting a genuine opportunity to play, looked like he was going to make the team as the third or fourth receiver but was put on IR with a neck injury.
NUMBER OF WHITE STARTERS: 5
APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF WHITE PLAYERS ON 53 MAN ROSTER: 15
GRADE: F+
