Peyton Hillis is playing in the Thursday, December 8, 2011 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Colt McCoy and Montario Hardesty will also be in uniform and on the field. They are a bit banged up, but ready to take on the black and gold and, hopefully, bring a win back to Cleveland.

The only really notable player that will not take the field is T.J. Ward – a Browns’ safety – and he will be replaced by Usama Young as usual.

Now, can the Browns win? This is always a question with the Browns unfortunately. We had a shot against the Ravens last week, especially when the Ravens missed two field goals.

The receivers have to actually catch the ball. I know, I know, this should go without saying, but the Browns have the NFL record for most drops. To be fair, the Browns are actually tied for most drops with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles. I digress, McCoy has finally started to throw some relatively decent passes, but if these are not caught [by Browns' receivers] then those passes really do not mean much. Also, if those passes are caught by the opposing team, then big problems can occur.

There is also a chance that the Steelers may simply think this will be an easy win and underestimate the Browns and therefore lose to the Browns. Okay, this is a stretch and perhaps just wishful thinking, but we have seen it happen in sports before.

“In the two meetings last season, the Steelers outscored the Browns 69-19,” reports Cleveland.com. It is also important to note that the Steelers who are taking the field are healthy, while a few of the Browns taking the field are not.

To go back to the health of the Browns. This is a big concern. One really good sack to McCoy and he could be in big trouble. McCoy is necessary and he needs to be on the field in the best shape he can be. Of course, Hillis seems like a flower and even a little sack could put him out.

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. Follow Rose on Twitter @Rose_Kitchen

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

What do you guys think about this.

Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.

BEREA – Browns running back Peyton Hillis participated in team drills today for the first time since re-injuring his pulled hamstring in practice on Nov. 4.

Hillis, who’s missed the past five games with the hamstring,  took a handful of reps during the early 15 minutes of practice open to the media, including taking a couple of handoffs.

Coach Pat Shurmur had ruled Hillis out on Monday for Sunday’s game in Cincinnati,  but a Browns spokesman said that can change.

After practice on Thursday, Shurmur said in a statement, “Peyton Hillis went through a rigorous workout afterwards and performed extremely well. He is making progress and may be limited in practice on Friday.”

After Hillis re-injured the hamstring on a practice run Nov. 4, he spiked his helmet to the ground and threw the ball in frustration. A few weeks later, the whole area around the hamsting was still black and blue.

The Browns are expecting Montario Hardesty back for the Bengals game, but Hillis would be an added bonus against the third-ranked run defense. Shurmur will meet with the media after practice, about 1 p.m.

In other Browns news:

* Right tackle Tony Pashos was absent from practice today, and Artis Hicks started in his place. Pashos’ wife is due with their first baby on Tuesday, but it’s not yet known if that’s why he’s missing.

* Defensive end Jayme Mitchell, who sat out Thursday with an ankle injury, stood and watched duriing the 15 open minutes.

*Safety Usama Young did not participate in drills during the open portion and was replaced by rookie Eric Hagg.

* Defensive lineman Brian Schaefering, who sat out Thursday with an ankle injury, was back in drills today.

There is the quick update of the day.

Read More: nfl injury report, cleveland browns injury report, peyton hillis injury, Peyton Hillis (RB – CLE), Chris Ogbonnaya (RB – CLE), Montario Hardesty (RB – CLE), Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis returned to practice on Thursday as he continues to battle back from a hamstring injury. The return was all the more important because he not only took part in individual drills, but also took snaps with the first team offense. Hillis had either not participated in practice over the last two weeks, or he had been limited to individual drills.

Barring any setbacks, Peyton Hillis would appear to be the likely start on Sunday in Houston against the Texans. It is not a fantastic matchup, but getting Hillis back out on the field would bode well for longer term fantasy prospects. Chris Ogbonnaya took a lot of snaps Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers when Montario Hardesty went down, but he would be Hillis’ backup this Sunday against Houston.

We will have the full Thursday injury report when it comes out and from there we can keep an eye on Hillis’ practice status heading into Friday. If he has any sort of regression, lineup considerations can be adjusted accordingly.

For more on the Browns, check out Dawgs By Nature. For more on fantasy football, check out Fake Teams. Follow @sbnationfantasy on Twitter.

There is the quick update of the day.

Read More: Ray Ventrone (DB – CLE), Scott Fujita (LB – CLE), Peyton Hillis (RB – CLE), Mohamed Massaquoi (WR – CLE), Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers

The Cleveland Browns injury report on Thursday was worse than the team’s opening week report on Wednesday as the team continues to get ready for the San Francisco 49ers this weekend. As reported earlier Thursday morning, running back Peyton Hillis didn’t partake in practice on Thursday after being limited the day before while Mohamed Massaquoi and Ben Watson both missed another day of practice.

As written earlier this morning, it’s difficult to say exactly what caused Hillis to be downgraded overnight.

Peyton Hillis is still hopeful that he’s ready to play when the Browns take on the 49ers on Sunday. He did practice with the team on Wednesday and was put through a higher workload than some believed he would be. Now it’s looking like he either did too much, or he just isn’t ready to do more regardless, as Tony Grossi is reporting on Twitter that Hillis isn’t practicing with the team on Thursday.

Ray Ventrone was the only other player on Thursday that didn’t practice while Scott Fujita was able to return to full practice after being limited on Wednesday.

Leave any suggestions in the comment box.

Phil Taylor still has a lot to learn. The Browns’ rookie defensive tackle knows that. He admits that, freely. Typically, all he has to do is look over to fellow tackle Ahtyba Rubin to get a better understanding of how he can live up to the expectations that come from being a first-round draft pick.

“He’s told me a lot of the tricks of the trade for defensive tackle, things like that,” Taylor said.

Rubin apparently hasn’t taught the youngster everything, as Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron said Thursday that Taylor, the 21st overall pick in the 2011 draft, likely will sit out in most third-down passing situations in Sunday’s season opener against Cincinnati. Rubin, the seasoned veteran on the line in his fifth season, will stay in.

Taylor and fellow rookie Jabaal Sheard, at end, are still developing and still learning. And Jauron isn’t ready to throw both of them into full battle just yet.

“We’re really happy with both of their progress,” Jauron said. “They have a lot to learn, obviously. And I think they’re quick studies. I believe that they are. They work at it. They like it. They’re serious about it. So, here we go.”

Jauron said Taylor’s job inside is a bit more complicated to learn the nuances of than Sheard’s position at end, which accounts for some of the slow development from the 6-3, 335-pound player from Baylor.

Which is where Rubin fits in.

“I’m there to help him and give him advice along the way,” Rubin said. “But when it comes to Sunday, instinct and football kicks in. I think Phil’s doing a great job picking up the speed of the NFL, and he’ll do pretty good.”

Taylor’s learning will continue each time he watches Rubin, each time one of the defensive favorites of the Browns coaching staff is counted on to anchor the young defensive line.

“We believe Rubin will be part of most everything we do,” Jauron said. “We really like Rubin . . . (he’s) a part of all the packages.”

Committee of 15: Coach Pat Shurmur said the Browns will have rotating captains for each game this season, beginning Sunday with Colt McCoy, Scott Fujita and Phil Dawson.

But during practices, Shurmur relies on a committee of 15 players to provide feedback.

“I have what I consider a group of guys I would consider to be the leaders on this team,” Shurmur said, “and we’re constantly talking about things like you would if you had two or three set captains.”

Shurmur didn’t identify which 15 players constitute the group, but said it’d be an easy list to make by identifying clear leaders. Their job is to keep the young players on the team focused.

“Just keep it calm, settle them down and do what guys have been through it before do,” Shurmur said.

Pashos practices: Right tackle Tony Pashos practiced Thursday after sitting out Wednesday with a sprained ankle. He limped on the field and in the locker room afterward, but said he feels better and that he’s hopeful to play Sunday.

“But I’m also working toward every possibility,” he said. “We all are. You have to do that in pro sports.”

Week 2 advantage: News that Colts quarterback Peyton Manning had neck surgery Thursday guarantees that the Browns will face his replacement, Kerry Collins, in Week 2 in Indianapolis.

Leave any suggestions in the comment box.

There is the quick update of the day.

CLEVELAND — Unless there is a shakeup in the NFL draft order by April 28, here are the overall selections the Browns hold:

 First round: No. 6.

 Second round: No. 37.

 Third round: No. 70.

 Fourth round: No. 102.

 Fifth round: No. 137.

 Sixth round: No. 168 (Denver’s pick, Brady Quinn trade).

       No. 170.

 Seventh round: No. 248 (compensatory).

 The first round is on Thursday, April 28, and begins at 8 p.m. The second and third rounds are on April 29 and begin at 6 p.m. Rounds 4 through 7 are on April 30 beginning at 12 noon.



Feel free to leave your comments below.

By Brian Floyd – Associate Editor

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Mar 3, 2011 - Signings are coming fast and furious on Thursday and Seneca Wallace was the latest to ink a long-term deal. Wallace reportedly agreed on a three-year contract with the Cleveland Brown on Thursday as players work to reach deals ahead of a possible NFL lockout. The deadline for players to sign contracts is midnight on Thursday, leading to plenty of last-minute signings as players and teams reach terms throughout the day and evening.

The news was reported by Adam Schefter on Twitter. The terms of the deal, other than its length, are yet unknown.

More deals: Browns re-signed quarterback Seneca Wallace to a three-year contract tonight.

Wallace joined the Browns following a trade with the Seattle Seahawks ahead of the 2010 season.

Wallace took the helm for Cleveland in week three, but his time was short-lived as he played his last significant time in week five against the Atlanta Falcons in a 20-10 loss. Wallace finished the season completing 63.4 percent of his passes for 694 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. With Colt McCoy and Jake Delhomme also on the roster, the Browns have a long-jam at the quarterback spot, with Wallace fighting for a starting job and playing time.

For more on Wallace and the Browns, check out SB Nation’s Dawgs By Nature.

Not much else going on in the NFL world today.

Published: Thursday, March 03, 2011, 9:23 PM     Updated: Thursday, March 03, 2011, 9:47 PM

 

CLEVELAND — The Browns signed quarterback Seneca Wallace to a three-year deal Thursday night, a league source said.

Wallace, a ninth-year pro,  is well-versed in the West Coast offense being installed by new coach Pat Shurmur.

Wallace said last week he wanted a chance to start somewhere, but he’ll begin as a backup here to Colt McCoy. The Browns have also said they wouldn’t rule out having Jake Delhomme back, but he’s set to make $5.4 million in 2011.

 Wallace went 1-3 in his four starts last season, but was coming on strong in his last couple of starts before suffering a high ankle sprain agains the Falcons on Oct. 10.

In that game, Wallace completed 11-of-15 attempts fro a 139 yards and a TD for a 124.0 rating. After recovering from the sprain, he played sparingly in the Wildcat. Shurmur said last week that he liked Wallace a lot, and not just to run the Wildcat, but as a boma fide West Coast quarterback.

 

That’s all for today.

Published: Thursday, March 03, 2011, 11:51 AM     Updated: Thursday, March 03, 2011, 11:54 AM

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Welcome to today’s edition of Starting Blocks TV, hosted by Chuck Yarborough and Branson Wright.

The NFL labor situation reaches a critical point tonight at 11:59, as the owners intend to lock out the players when the current collective bargaining agreement runs out. Whose side are you on in the negotiations? Vote in today’s Starting Blocks poll.

Today’s SBTV guest, Plain Dealer Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot, says she suspects fans will side with the players. Also, as she is just back from the combine, Mary Kay talks about who impressed her among the defensive linemen and receivers; whether LSU’s Patrick Peterson would be available for the Browns at No. 6; and what player she thinks might be a find for the Browns in the second round.

One note: During the video, photos of receivers A.J. Green and Julio Jones were transposed when Mary Kay was discussing them. Pictured here is A.J. Green. The other photo during the WR segment is Julio Jones.

SBTV will return Friday with PD Browns reporter Tony Grossi answering questions from his weekly Hey, Tony! feature.

Thanks for visiting our blog =).

Published: Thursday, February 24, 2011, 4:26 PM     Updated: Thursday, February 24, 2011, 4:34 PM

 

INDIANAPOLIS — Browns quarterback Colt needs to strengthen his arm and body to take his game to the next level, according to former Browns personnel executive Mike Lombardi, now an analyst with NFL Network.

 ”I think Colt did a really good job for a young quarterback,” Lombardi said at the NFL Combine  here. “I think durability, I think his body’s got to get bigger, his body’s got to get stronger, his arm’s got to improve. He’s got to follow the same thing that (Green Bay’s) Aaron Rodgers did. For him to take the next step, he’s got to really recondition his body. To play in the NFL, 16 games, 60 minutes and to take the pounding quarterbacks take, if your body’s not ready it’s not going to be able to do it.

 ”If you look at Colt McCoy compared to some of the other quarterbacks in the league, he needs to get more physical and stronger. If he can do that, what he did this year was impressive. Now he’s got to take the next step forward. That’s going to be difficult until he changes his body.”

 McCoy, who’s 6-1, 215 pounds, missed three games in 2010 with a high ankle sprain. He also recently revealed that the pinched nerve in his right throwing shoulder suffered in the national championship game bothered him during the season and continues to do so.

 But Browns President Mike Holmgren told the Plain Dealer Wednesday that McCoy is “the guy” going forward and that the Browns have no plans to bring in anyone else to compete for the starting job.

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

Published: Thursday, January 20, 2011, 1:04 PM     Updated: Thursday, January 20, 2011, 1:09 PM

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns are interviewing fired Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Bill Davis for their own defensive coordinator vacancy today, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.

Davis, 45, is also a candidate for the same position with the Eagles.

Davis is one of two defensive coordinators candidates interviewing with the Browns today. The other is former NFL head coach Dave Wannstedt.

Eagles secondary coach Dick Jauron interviewed for the job Wednesday.

Davis is a Youngstown native and the son of former Browns vice president of player personnel Bill Davis.

He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Michigan State in 1991. New Browns head coach Pat Shurmur also started as a grad assistant at Michigan State in 1987 and was an assistant on that staff in 1991.

 

That’s all for today.

There is the quick update of the day.

Thanks for visiting my blog =).