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CLEVELAND - A few months ago there was conjecture that Browns defensive lineman Shaun Rogers wanted to be traded.

Rogers sure seems happy to be back with the team now. He topped off a string of impressive practice showings Sunday with a dominant performance in the Brown and White scrimmage won by the Brown squad, 17-14, at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Rogers was a handful for rookie center Alex Mack. The 6-4, 350-pound Rogers not only won battles with brute strength, but he also exhibited outstanding short-range quickness.

"I didn't give him everything, but I gave him enough so I could get some work in," Rogers said. "I still have to do my job. I'm still being evaluated and graded every day. I have to perform to a certain level of expectations."

Rogers has the prototypical look of a two-gap nose tackle, but he has the quickness to be a one-gap defender. He might get more chances to aggressively attack gaps in defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's scheme.

"Rob Ryan has a history in this league of good defenses," Rogers said. "I'm just looking forward to performing in the defense. Hopefully, it has much more of an impact."

Rogers and the rest of the first-team defense was on the field quite a bit in what was easily the hottest day since training camp opened Aug. 1. The temperature at the start of the scrimmage was in the low 90s.

"Every day is a good day that you're out there," he said. "You always could be far worse. You could be on the sideline with an injury or you could just not have a job at all."

• MIDSEASON FORM: The best player on the field might have been inside linebacker D'Qwell Jackson. He dropped running back Jamal Lewis for a short loss on the first play of action. He ended a Brown drive with an interception near the goal line.

In general, Jackson was seemingly everywhere.

"If you can't (get up for a scrimmage), then I don't know what's wrong with you. You're not a competitor," said Jackson, who's in a contract year. "I know when those lights are on, that's when the stars shine. It's not just because of my natural abilities. It's the guys up front, the calls and guys willing to sacrifice to be the best."

• STAY COOL: Quarterback Derek Anderson appeared to lose his cool when he threw the ball at Rogers after being sacked. Anderson was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct.

"Derek was already sacked. He was trying to get it to be incomplete," Rogers said. "That was null and void. I'll talk to Derek about that later."

• FAST START: Receiver Lance Leggett opened the scrimmage with a bang. On the first play for the White, Leggett beat cornerback Rod Hood to haul in a 51-yard touchdown pass from Brady Quinn. Safety Nick Sorensen was late on deep coverage.

"It was a great throw by Brady," Leggett said. "Once I saw the ball in the air, I kept running and ran up under it."

• UP THE MIDDLE: Running back Noah Herron, a five-year veteran, had the run of the day when he broke free on a 39-yard touchdown play.

Herron was drafted by the Steelers in 2005. The Packers signed him off the Steelers' practice squad that year. He spent three seasons in Green Bay and was in Tampa last season.

"Any time you come from a different team, obviously the culture changes," Herron said. "At the same time, when you have a new staff coming in, it changes even more."

• AT HOME: Third-string quarterback Brett Ratliff had an impressive showing. He connected with David Patten on a 62-yard touchdown pass. He hooked up again with Patten later on a play covering 48 yards.

Playing here in a preseason game last year as a member of the New York Jets, Ratliff threw a long touchdown pass to David Clowney.

"Ratliff did a nice job in his opportunities, hitting Patten on those two deep balls," coach Eric Mangini said.

• NO BIG DEAL: Mangini responded to a report that the agent for receiver Syndric Steptoe, Jerome Stanley, was upset that Mangini changed the practice format Saturday. The agent blamed the change for a shoulder injury suffered by Steptoe.

"The practice we had planned was the same practice that we executed," Mangini said. "Seventy-nine other guys were able to practice effectively."

Steptoe tore a labrum and is done for the season.

• ROSTER MOVE: The Browns signed offensive lineman Fred Weary on Sunday. Originally selected in the third round of the 2002 NFL draft by the Houston Texans, Weary (6-4, 307 pounds) was a first-team All-American and first-team All-Southeastern Conference player as a senior at Tennessee.

Weary started 43 of 63 games in which he played in seven seasons with the Texans.

mmclain@tribtoday.com