BEREA, Ohio -- Tuesday was the calm after the storm at the Cleveland Browns training camp.
The day after Johnny Manziel took all the first team reps -- and created the expected buzz -- Brian Hoyer was back sharing time with Manziel, and getting more first-team snaps as practice went on.
Tuesday also was the day the Browns had to release their first depth chart. Hoyer is the starting quarterback.
Coaches hate releasing depth charts because it does set a tone and a feel for camp. It also comes at a time when coaches don’t want to make public their decisions.
But prior to games teams have to include a depth chart in the weekly news release.
“I did it because I had to do it,” Mike Pettine said. “I think at a lot of positions we would have have slashed guys.”
As in use a slash between names to indicate one is not ahead of the other. Asked if quarterback was a position he might have slashed guys, Pettine smiled and said: “I might.”
Then he clarified.
“No, Brian is the starter,” Pettine said.
That does not mean, though, that Manziel is not making his push. He threw some good passes in practice, and looks a little more comfortable every day. Pettine admitted, though, that Hoyer is ahead in terms of making quicker decisions and getting the ball out faster.
Regarding other positions of interest on the depth chart:
Tyler Thigpen is the third quarterback, ahead of Connor Shaw.
Josh Gordon and Miles Austin are listed as starting receivers. Nate Burleson, Anthony Armstrong and Charles Johnson are behind Austin. Andrew Hawkins and Travis Benjamin are behind Gordon.
Gary Barnidge is the second tight end, ahead of Jim Dray.
Joel Bitonio is the left guard, which is not a surprise. The guy is a natural. John Greco is the right guard, ahead of Garrett Gilkey. The time Greco missed with injury evidently did not hurt him.
MarQueis Gray and Ray Agnew are listed at fullback, but Chris Ogbonnaya may make the team because he can play both spots.
Billy Winn is a starter at one defensive end, Desmond Bryant at the other. Phil Taylor is listed as a backup to Bryant. This might be attributable to injury except Winn, like Taylor, started camp sidelined by injury as well.
Ahtyba Rubin is back at nose tackle, ahead of Ishmaa’ily Kitchen. Scrimmage phenom Jacobbi McDaniel is third.
Jabaal Sheard is not listed as a starter. He’ll play a lot, but he’s behind Paul Kruger and Barkevious Mingo.
Craig Robertson is the starter next to Karlos Danbsy, with Chris Kirksey behind Robertson.
Justin Gilbert is behind Buster Skrine, but the way Gilbert has been practicing Skrine might not be able to hold him off much longer.
Jordan Poyer is the backup to Tashaun Gipson; Poyer is ahead of Josh Aubrey. Jim Leonhard is the backup to Donte Whitner, though it appears from practice that Leonhard is clearly the third safety.
Travis Benjamin is listed as the punt and kickoff returner.
What does it all mean? Not much, according to Pettine.
“I wouldn’t put a lot of credence in that,” he said. “It’ll be very fluid and there will likely be changes after every week.”
