BEREA
There is a mystery surrounding the Browns and it has something to do with receivers Joshua Cribbs and Brian Robiskie.
Cribbs has found himself in the good graces of coach Eric Mangini from the start of training camp. Robiskie might be high on Mangini's list for the future, but he's been non-existent in the first two games.
Actually, Robiskie dressed and played on special teams in the season opener, but he didn't line up at receiver. He wasn't activated for the game in Denver.
Cribbs, meanwhile, started both games. He showed a lack of polish for the position, which has inquiring minds wondering why he's getting so much playing time and Robiskie can't get on the field.
Going from being a key player at Ohio State University to standing on the sideline in street clothes in the NFL must have been difficult to deal with for Robiskie.
"It's frustrating wanting to be out there playing. That's what you do," Robiskie said.
"You want to be out there helping your teammates. You want to be out there participating and helping the guys and trying to win games.
At the same time, there are decisions that have to be made. The coaches have to figure out what numbers are best for that day and that team that we're playing. There's an element that they have to figure out. Last week I was on the other side of it."
Robiskie's lack of playing time is strange for a couple of reasons. He was a high second-round draft choice (36th overall) from a major football factory. While he doesn't possess the overall physical skills of receivers selected ahead of him, he was considered one of the most NFL-ready receivers in the draft.
Yet there he was watching the Browns lose to the Broncos while Cribbs, who's still learning the position in his fifth season, dropped one pass and fumbled away another. Mangini says that Robiskie is making progress while adding it's still all about special teams.
It's not always an easy sell to tell a high-profile rookie that he should be covering kicks and punts.
"It is (a tough sell) because obviously the rookies are the guys that have done so much for their (college) teams," Robiskie said. "That might not be something they're familiar with. A guy like Jim Brown and coaches who have been coaching a long time made it very clear what they want from their rookies.
"All the rookies know that we need to come out and try to help our team anyway we can."
Robiskie and fellow second-round draft choice Mohamed Massaquoi both looked good at times during training camp. Massaquoi, who appeared to have a slight edge, played sparingly at receiver in the first two games and has one reception for 18 yards.
Robiskie knows that it often takes time for a receiver to fully develop in the NFL.
"I think I'm continuing to learn. I think I'm continuing to grow and I've made a lot of progress," he said. "Coming in from the first day of camp until now, I think that there were definitely some things I wanted to accomplish. I feel like I've done those and I'm going to try to keep going from here."
Robiskie's introduction into the offense might take longer than expected if Cribbs develops as coaches expect. The jury is out on that project.
"I feel like I'm coming into my own," Cribbs said. "I think I'm doing a good job. It's not been a struggle at all."
It hasn't looked that way from the stands.