BEREA — It's minicamp week. The 2010 schedule is beginning to seem more real to Browns left guard Eric Steinbach.
The Steelers are out there, as always.
So is the team of the decade, New England — not to mention this year's Super Bowl champ, New Orleans, and Steinbach's old team, defending AFC North champ Cincinnati.
None of them is the opponent Steinbach has circled on his calendar.
"It's definitely Tampa Bay,'' he said. "You have to have the mindset that we're going to go in and win that game."
Tampa Bay is the opening opponent.
"Some guys might think it's not big because you can bounce back. But I think that after winning our last four last year, after the way we started the year, it's huge to go down there and get a win," Steinbach said.
Cleveland is 0-3 in openers since Steinbach jumped from the Cincinnati Bengals to the Browns. The Buccaneers are hoping to rebound from a 3-13 year ago, and a loss would be discouraging to either them or Cleveland.
"Tampa made some changes with players," Steinbach said. "You don't know how they'll be. I know we need to win. That's the game I'm circling."
Changes? Steinbach is an expert at change. He has opened the last four years behind different starting quarterbacks — Carson Palmer, Charlie Frye, Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn — none older than 25 at the time.
Now, he is practicing with 35-year-old Jake Delhomme.
"With Jake," Steinbach said, "you do see the veteran charisma. He knows how to command the attention of everyone in the huddle.
"You don't see him kind of ... freak out with whatever situation is brought on the field. It will be more relaxing for the offense seeing him in the huddle. This isn't his first rodeo."
One of the few constants on the Browns has been the left side of the line, where Joe Thomas and Steinbach are in their fourth spring together in Berea.
"We've got guys who are getting older and have played together," Steinbach said.
Steinbach, who was the first pick of the second round in the 2003 draft, lines up between a 2007 No. 3 overall pick, Thomas, and a 2009 No. 21 overall pick, center Alex Mack.
"Alex has 16 games under his belt," Steinbach said. "I think it's going to make a huge difference."
Steinbach isn't a kid any more. He has started 108 NFL jersey games, substantially more than any other Browns offensive player. Delhomme is next with 92.
Steinbach hit a milestone no NFL player ignores, turning 30 on April 4.
"That's young in the real world," Steinbach said. "Here, it's getting up there."
He is good enough to help a playoff team, but he is getting a little antsy about being on one. He has been part of teams that are 0-1 in the postseason in his seven years.
That's why he has circled Tampa Bay on the schedule. A 1-0 start would be "huge," he says, for a team trying to forget it was 1-11 at one point in 2009.
Line on the rise
It has been a long, long time since the Cleveland Browns could say they have had the best unit in the NFL in any aspect of offense or defense. If things go according to plan in 2010, the Browns offensive line could round into the conversation as one of the elite. Here's why
• Left tackle Joe Thomas, 25, should just be heading into his prime and already is a three-time Pro Bowler.
• Left guard Eric Steinbach has made 108 NFL starts and should have plenty left, at age 30.
• Center Alex Mack started all 16 games as a rookie first-round pick and should be better in Year 2.
• If rookie Round 3 pick Shawn Lauvao isn't ready to start at right guard, veteran Floyd Womack is an acceptable option.
• If Lauvao is ready at guard, Tony Pashos or Womack would represent an upgrade at right tackle over 2009 starter John St. Clair.
• A veteran quarterback, Jake Delhomme, understands how to use the line better than Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson did in '09.
The Steelers are out there, as always.
So is the team of the decade, New England — not to mention this year's Super Bowl champ, New Orleans, and Steinbach's old team, defending AFC North champ Cincinnati.
None of them is the opponent Steinbach has circled on his calendar.
"It's definitely Tampa Bay,'' he said. "You have to have the mindset that we're going to go in and win that game."
Tampa Bay is the opening opponent.
"Some guys might think it's not big because you can bounce back. But I think that after winning our last four last year, after the way we started the year, it's huge to go down there and get a win," Steinbach said.
Cleveland is 0-3 in openers since Steinbach jumped from the Cincinnati Bengals to the Browns. The Buccaneers are hoping to rebound from a 3-13 year ago, and a loss would be discouraging to either them or Cleveland.
"Tampa made some changes with players," Steinbach said. "You don't know how they'll be. I know we need to win. That's the game I'm circling."
Changes? Steinbach is an expert at change. He has opened the last four years behind different starting quarterbacks — Carson Palmer, Charlie Frye, Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn — none older than 25 at the time.
Now, he is practicing with 35-year-old Jake Delhomme.
"With Jake," Steinbach said, "you do see the veteran charisma. He knows how to command the attention of everyone in the huddle.
"You don't see him kind of ... freak out with whatever situation is brought on the field. It will be more relaxing for the offense seeing him in the huddle. This isn't his first rodeo."
One of the few constants on the Browns has been the left side of the line, where Joe Thomas and Steinbach are in their fourth spring together in Berea.
"We've got guys who are getting older and have played together," Steinbach said.
Steinbach, who was the first pick of the second round in the 2003 draft, lines up between a 2007 No. 3 overall pick, Thomas, and a 2009 No. 21 overall pick, center Alex Mack.
"Alex has 16 games under his belt," Steinbach said. "I think it's going to make a huge difference."
Steinbach isn't a kid any more. He has started 108 NFL jersey games, substantially more than any other Browns offensive player. Delhomme is next with 92.
Steinbach hit a milestone no NFL player ignores, turning 30 on April 4.
"That's young in the real world," Steinbach said. "Here, it's getting up there."
He is good enough to help a playoff team, but he is getting a little antsy about being on one. He has been part of teams that are 0-1 in the postseason in his seven years.
That's why he has circled Tampa Bay on the schedule. A 1-0 start would be "huge," he says, for a team trying to forget it was 1-11 at one point in 2009.
Line on the rise
It has been a long, long time since the Cleveland Browns could say they have had the best unit in the NFL in any aspect of offense or defense. If things go according to plan in 2010, the Browns offensive line could round into the conversation as one of the elite. Here's why
• Left tackle Joe Thomas, 25, should just be heading into his prime and already is a three-time Pro Bowler.
• Left guard Eric Steinbach has made 108 NFL starts and should have plenty left, at age 30.
• Center Alex Mack started all 16 games as a rookie first-round pick and should be better in Year 2.
• If rookie Round 3 pick Shawn Lauvao isn't ready to start at right guard, veteran Floyd Womack is an acceptable option.
• If Lauvao is ready at guard, Tony Pashos or Womack would represent an upgrade at right tackle over 2009 starter John St. Clair.
• A veteran quarterback, Jake Delhomme, understands how to use the line better than Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson did in '09.
In American football, you have to try to bring down your opponent.
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