Time is now for Wright, McDonald

05.22.2008

With one unfortunate injury, suddenly there's a bit of pressure on two second-year Browns.

After Daven Holly's "serious" knee injury during organized team activities (OTAs) Tuesday, Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald are now the most experienced cornerbacks on the roster and the lead candidates to earn the team's two starting jobs.

Wright was a second-round pick of the Browns in 2007. During his rookie season, he played in 14 games, starting 13, and recorded 70 tackles, 1 sack, 11 pass breakups and 1 interception.

"Overall I was personally a little disappointed (with my rookie year)," Wright said. "I feel like I played solid but I didn't make as many plays as I should have. I'm just trying to be more productive this year."

McDonald, meanwhile, emerged in the Browns backfield rotation after he was selected in the fifth-round earlier in the year. He played in all 16 games for the club with 2 starts as a rookie, marking 15 tackles, 2 interceptions, 11 pass breakups and 17 special teams tackles.

At times, McDonald covered the slot receiver when the team began installing its sub defense Wednesday. He knocked down a couple of potential completions, picking up where he left off last season as being one of the team's best practice players.

While both players looked impressive during their respective rookie seasons and have looked good so far in OTAs, it's still a big step forward to face the league's top receivers week in and week out.

But McDonald said Holly's presence will be missed.

"Daven is a good guy and a heck of player," McDonald said. "He added a lot of energy to our defense. You need talented corners and with Daven going down you have to have guys who are going to pick up where he left off."

Those guys could be A.J. Davis, a fourth-round pick of the Lions last year who spent the '07 season on the Browns' practice squad, or Jereme Perry, a young corner who played with the Browns in '06 and was re-signed by the team last week. Or one of the team's many undrafted free agents on the roster including Missouri's Darnell Terrell and UNLV's Mil'von James, who has been garnering some quality reviews so far.

Or the team might still go out and find another affordable veteran corner or two, as general manager Phil Savage indicated Wednesday.

The team lost another one of its top corners during the offseason when it traded Leigh Bodden to the Lions in March along with a third-round pick for defensive lineman Shaun Rogers.

The team got what it needed in a big body along the defensive line, but lost an experienced cornerback.

"Bodden was a great player," McDonald said. "He did a lot for this team. We hate to see him go but that's part of the business."

The club also recently released veteran corner Kenny Wright last week following some legal troubles.

But despite the thin and relatively inexperienced unit, Wright said the group is determined to solidify as a strongunit that can be a strength for the team's defense.

"We're all trying to stick together as a unit to become tight knit and go out there and be productive," Wright said. "It's unfortunate (Holly) went down. We're just looking forward to coming together and being a great unit."