CantonRep.com reporter Steve Doerschuk wants to make it clear that the Cleveland Browns are not going to the playoffs this season.

So that means the Browns are in the race to finish the season with the top ten pick in the upcoming draft.

It’s a familiar place.

In 13 drafts since returning as an expansion team, the Browns have had top 10 picks in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

That’s an amazing, albeit depressing, .692 batting average, 9-for-13. And, to be more specific, none of those “top 10” picks has been lower than No. 7.

Losses to the Rams and Bengals makes Cleveland the favorite for another early pick.

More Cleveland Browns

Is Dick Jauron the best coordinator in the AFC North (ESPN.com)?

Baltimore Ravens on upset alert against the Browns (Ohio.com).

Cleveland Browns waive pro bowler (The News-Herald).

BEREA — Browns running back Montario Hardesty (calf), strong safety T.J. Ward (foot) and free safety Mike Adams (shoulder) will all sit out today’s practice in preparation for Sunday’s game against the Ravens.

But quarterback Colt McCoy, who suffered an elbow injury in Cincinnati, will be full-go.

Hardesty was prepared to start Sunday’s game in Cincinnati, but his calf muscle tightened up on him in pre-game warm-ups and he wasn’t able to play. Coach Shurmur said Hardesty didn’t re-injure the torn calf, just that it needs a little more time to heal.

He said he expects Hardesty to return to practice sometime this week.

Ward is still out today with his foot injury and will be replaced by Usama Young. But now, fellow safety Adams’ status for the Ravens game is uncertain because of the shoulder injury suffered in Cincinnati. If he can’t play, rookie Eric Hagg would most likely get the nod.

In other Browns news:

* McCoy is expected to participate fully despite pain not only in the elbow but his right shoulder.

* Right end Jayme Mitchell (ankle) will be limited, and the Browns will go with “right end by committee” said Shurmur. It included Auston English and Brian Schaefering in Cinci.

* Fullback Owen Marecic, who sat out last week’s game with his concussion, will return to practice today.

* Running back Peyton Hillis (hamstring) came through the Bengals game fine.

* Shurmur admitted the Browns really liked Ravens receiver Torrey Smith in the draft, where he was picked one spot ahead of Browns’ receiver  Greg Little in the second round. Would the Browns’ have taken him? “We knew he’d be a great receiver,” said Shurmur, adding that teams are always disappointed when a great prospect goes off the board.

I always try to stay positive about the Cleveland Browns. Occasionally I will lash out in a fit of frustration over Peyton Hillis(notes) because I miss the player we saw in 2010 or even criticize Greg Little(notes) and Montario Hardesty(notes) over dropped passes, but deep down, like every other Cleveland fan, it is just because I want them to succeed.

I usually agree with the decisions made by the front office regarding personnel decisions such as cutting Brian Robiskie(notes), the second round pick in the 2009 draft that never quite lived up to his potential. I was even excited when they signed Chris Ogbonnaya(notes) when everyone else was wondering who he was? He sure played well for the Houston Texans during the preseason. Look at his success for the Browns when Hillis and Hardesty missed games.

A decision I am having a hard time getting behind was when the Browns cut two-time Pro-Bowler Ryan Pontbriand(notes) on Tuesday, November 29. Pontbriand had been with the Browns since 2003.

He came under heavy criticism on November 13; when his snap hit the leg of Alex Mack(notes), disrupting the timing on kicker Phil Dawson’s(notes) 22-yard field goal attempt that cost the Browns the game against the St. Louis Rams. The kick itself was partially blocked.

Again, on November 27 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Pontbriand rolled the ball to holder Brad Maynard(notes) causing Dawson to miss a go-ahead 55-yard field goal. The Browns went on to lose 23-20. In itself, I have a hard time believing that even with a perfect snap, a field goal of that length would be a sure thing.

“Today, I lost a longtime teammate, Ryan Pontbriand,” Dawson wrote on Twitter. “He has been with me more than any teammate I have had. I will miss him. He is the best”

Regarded as one of the NFL’s best long snappers, Pontbriand will be replaced by an undrafted rookie from UCLA in Christian Yount(notes). Yount played seven games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers until he was waived on October 25.

To me, this decision makes no sense. It can be argued half the roster has had bad games. Should the team cut Greg Little because he is dropping passes? How about Joe Haden(notes) for allowing opposing receivers to catch the ball and score touchdowns?

When the team lets go of a proven professional who for years has performed flawlessly in favor of a waived rookie, I have a hard time lending my support.

More Cleveland Browns Commentary from this Contributor:

Fan’s look: Who is Peyton Hillis anyway?

Cleveland Browns’ fans deserve better: A fan’s take

Browns fall to Rams, hit an all-new low: A fan’s reaction

Browns must win against Rams or face fan exile: A fan’s take

Former Browns’ WR Brian Robiskie quietly joins Jaguars: A fan’s take

Sources:

All data provided by NFL.com

Twitter – Phil Dawson (@phil_dawson_4)

Paul Rados is an avid Cleveland Browns fan and a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @PSRados or leave him a message on Facebook. For a complete look at his freelance work please visit his Blog.

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It’s official, the Browns are “waiving” goodbye to Ryan Pontbriand(notes). After the bad snap heard ’round the world on Sunday (11/27/11) against the Bengals, he probably knew something like this was coming. He has been in a slump and has not been able to snap – no pun intended – out of it.

Speaking of the bad snap against the Bengals, Pontbriand said, “It was a bad snap – really bad. It was a very bad snap.” He also spoke of his slump, “I’m in a pretty tough slump right now and I’m just trying to work as hard as I can to get out of it. Unfortunately, in my position, I’m kind of in the spotlight when it comes to field goals. If I mess up, you know it. I’m just trying my best to get out of this slump.”

Too little, too late now. There was the bad snap against the Rams, then against the Bengals. There were others as well. Now, Christian Yount(notes) will replace Pontbriand.

Pontbriand had tenure with the Browns – nine seasons – , but his mistakes are just something the Browns cannot afford, especially as they are set to play games against the likes of the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Yount has appeared in seven games this season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after they signed him as an undrafted free agent in July. He was waived on October 25, 2011 after the Buccaneers activated their primary long snapper Andrew Economos(notes) from the physically unable to perform list. Yount appeared in 51 games at UCLA from 2007-10,” reports Ohio.com.

It will be interesting to see how Yount complements Dawson. There have been two games this season where missed field goals could have changed the game and bad snaps by Pontbriand cost the Browns those field goals. If that field goal against the St. Louis Rams had not been disrupted, the Browns could have likely won, and if the field goal would have been made against the Cincinnati Bengals, it would have at the very least led to overtime.

R. Elizabeth C. Kitchen is a lifelong Browns fan who grew up in a household of Browns’ fans. She was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and still lives there. Regardless of the trials and tribulations the Browns have been through, she remains loyal, albeit honest about her home team.

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