BEREA- The pace of training camp has a tendency to bring out the gunslinger mentality in Browns rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden.
After a few more talks from coach Pat Shurmur, Weeden might have to put the gun back in his holster on occasion. If that doesn't happen, Shurmur could be looking for another sheriff to run the offense.
Weeden's propensity for taking chances with his strong right arm showed up Sunday when he tried to get the ball to Mohamed Massaquoi, who ran up a seam from the left slot in 7-on-7 drills. Weeden did his job by looking off single-high safety T.J. Ward, but safety Eric Hagg ran underneath Massaquoi and was in position to intercept Weeden's pass.
"You have to pick your spots," Weeden said. "That's 7-on-7. Just take your shots. Try to make those difficult throws because fortunately there's no one in the stands and there's not a scoreboard. You can kind of be aggressive.
"I'm an aggressive thrower. Coach Shurmur told me after practice, I don't want to take any of your aggressiveness, but if it's not there you have to check it down.' I completely get it. I knew I made a mistake, but you have to take shots. If you're an aggressive player look at Brett Favre there are going to be mistakes every once in awhile, but there's also going to be some aggressive plays."
Shurmur is waiting for the proper time to name a starting quarterback, but it's obvious from the way he's handling reps that Weeden is being prepared for the role. Weeden has taken all the reps with the first team, followed by Colt McCoy working with the second team.
Weeden is discovering that training camp isn't as easy as the rookie minicamp. He struggled in Saturday's practice, and he had a few more off-target throws Sunday, when the emphasis was on the running game and play-action passes.
Weeden, however, did make some good throws. He was on target to Owen Spencer on a crossing route, but Spencer dropped the ball.
"I think he's doing very well," Shurmur said. "Part of this process is getting to know the receivers. Part of the process is operating with the addition of the run game, and I think he's doing a nice job."
Weeden looks to his background as a pitcher in the New York Yankees' farm system when dealing with a bad day of practice. He allowed enough home runs to give up the sport and concentrate on football. In the process he learned to have a short memory.
"One of my strengths is moving on to the next play if something goes wrong," Weeden said. "Today in 7-on-7 Hagg made the right read. It was really the right read, but he just made a heck of a play. What can you do? Move on to the next play."
Weeden is still in the learning process when dealing with his new teammates. It's rare for a rookie quarterback to step in and make all the right decisions and throw with pinpoint accuracy every play, especially in a full-padded practice like Sunday's.
"You know what you know," Shurmur said. "He hasn't been involved in a padded practice this year, and he's not getting banged around. There are certain things to learn from that. I can think of a handful of mistakes he made today that he'll never make again.
"What I've seen from him is if he's done something and he didn't do it right, he's in there right now looking at it, and that mistake won't happen again."
