The good, the bad, and the ugly

It's great to have football back again! What a long off-season. On a couple of occassions I have found myself watching the 2nd half of preseason games of teams I have absolutely no interest in, just to get a football fix.

I've been away for awhile, but here's my take on the first few weeks of training camp:

The good:

• Getting Joe Thomas and Eric Wright into training camp on time. This is huge. Both have looked good, and will likely start week 1
• Getting healthy--Gary Baxter and Kellen Winslow have practiced and so far have suffered no setbacks.
• The LBs--Kamerion Wimbley, Leon Williams, Antwan Peek, and Chaun Thompson are quietly having a nice camp.

The bad:

• Injuries--as always, the Browns have been bit by the injury bug already. Nothing season ending, but of note: Eric Steinbach, Orpheus Roye, Willie McGinest, and Leigh Bodden have all been slowed. Bodden worries me the most since it seems to suggest that his ankles have not heeled and may plague him all season.
• Brady Quinn's holdout--its never good for a 1st rounder to holdout, especially when its a QB.
• The WRs--Josh Cribbs is the #3 receiver not because he has been that good, but because the guys supposed to challenge for the spot (Travis Wilson & Tim Carter) have either been hurt or can't hold onto the ball.

The ugly:

• The QB competition--I had hoped that the starter could be named following the 2nd preseason game, but so far that's not the case--and its not because they are both playing so well. Neither Charlie Frye nor Derek Anderson look worthy of starting.
• LeCharles Bentley--I love that he is trying to come back and is progressing so well, but the Browns have not exactly been welcoming him back with open arms--their response has been odd. Seems like something fishy is going on behind the scenes here. I hope I'm wrong.

Antwan Peek to boost pass rush

A day after landing Steinbach, the Browns announced the signing of LB Antwan Peek from the Houston Texans. Personally, I love this signing. One, it could be the best "sleeper" signing of free agency. Second, Peek is a fellow alumnus of my alma mater, the University of Cincinnati, and I've been a fan of his for years. Peek's signing reunited him with defensive coordinator Todd Gratham, who coached him while with the Texans.

Peek has great speed, quickness, and athletism. In fact, in high school he was a two-sport star in basketball and as a wide receiver in football. He still holds the Bearcats' career records for sacks (27.5) and tackles for loss (56) despite being double teamed his last two seasons. His draft prospect profile can be found here.

Peek was drafted in the 3rd round of 2003 by the Texans and spent his first two seasons battling nagging injuries and learning the transition from a 4-3 college DE to a 3-4 pro LB. His third season (2005) he began to show his potential as he started every game and recorded 46 tackles including 6 sacks. Last year the Texans switched to the 4-3 and Peek saw very little playing time.

Year	Games	Tackles	Sacks
2003	10	25	1
2004	14	20	2
2005	16	46	6
2006	11	14	1

Peek should be able to contribute to the Browns immediately. He knows the 3-4, knows Todd Gratham, and has the skills to excel as a edge pass-rusher. He could be the eventual replacement for Willie McGinest, and could even challenge him for playing time this year. If Peek can pick up his development where he left off in 2005 he could prove to be a nice complement to Kamerion Wimbley on the opposite side.