Cousin pulling double duty

07.28.2008

For the tireless Terry Cousin, Monday morning's practice didn't end until it was practically Monday afternoon.

Cousin, who's entering his 12^th NFL season, stretched and talked with the other cornerbacks before they left the field. He then spent a little more than 10 minutes with undrafted rookie corner Gerard Lawson, giving Lawson some hands-on training in jamming receivers and backpedaling while reading the quarterback.

"That's something he does all the time, and he helps out in the meeting rooms, too," said Browns defensive backs coach Cory Undlin, obviously an interested observer. "He's over there trying to make a young guy better, which is great for me. He's a guy that comes to work, and other guys see his example."

"He's been in the league a long time, and he has a lot of knowledge to pass on," Lawson said. "If he's willing to take a few minutes with me after practice, I'm going to take advantage of every second of it."

When his tutoring with Lawson was done, Cousin headed over to the jugs machine for some work on his own skills. At 33, the former undrafted free agent isn't done writing what's been an NFL success story.

After a three-year run in Jacksonville, his sixth NFL team, he and the Browns became a good fit last month for several reasons, not just because Daven Holly's season-ending injury left the talented but still young pair of Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald as the team's clear-cut top cornerbacks.

And it wasn't because he just happened to play on a team last season that was good enough to beat the Steelers in Heinz Field twice in the span of about a month, though that certainly is a plus.

Cousin signed here knowing he'd at very least have a chance to play a significant role on passing downs. And a week or so into training camp, it's apparent his role off the field is just as important for a team whose starting cornerbacks are both second-year pros and has just one backup besides Cousin - Jereme Perry - who's ever played a regular-season NFL snap.

"Eric and B-Mac, those guys can play," Cousin said. "They have some things to work on. Little things mostly, but every now and then I give them a little word, try to help them out technique-wise and try to help them see what they're getting from the offense."

Breaking down Cousin's NFL resume -- 156 regular season games, 68 starts and one Super Bowl -- and comparing it to that of his new corner mates would be one way to explain the value of Cousin's experience.

This would be another: In 1998, Cousin started 12 games for the Bears, broke up 18 passes, blocked an extra point and picked off Brett Favre. And we all know that guy's been retired for a while.

In 1998, Wright was playing in San Francisco. For the San Francisco Seahawks Pop Warner team. We'll never know if he would have locked down McDonald, who was a star receiver for the Collins (Miss.) Tigers.

Collins Middle School.

"We have a young group, obviously," Undlin said. "Terry is a vocal leader right now and he's always on guys to work. The way he watches tape - when we watch practice in the meetings, he's always got something to say, something he's pointing out. And guys turn to him for answers."

"He helps guys all the time," McDonald said. "He's always letting guys know what they can do better. He's always out to lend a helping hand. He knows the game, and he's not afraid to let us young guys know what we're doing, good or bad."

Cousin figures to have the first crack at being the Browns' primary nickel cornerback, playing in the slot on passing downs and spelling Wright and McDonald at other times. But Cousin said it's too early for any cornerback - himself included - to start thinking about playing time.

"I tell these young guys it's all about working hard," Cousin said. "You can't worry about whether or not you fit on the team or what role you might have. These guys have to make the best of what they're given."

From all indications, the young guys are listening.

"He's seen a lot," Wright said. "We can lean on him out on the field and in the classroom. He's an original."

And original is the only "O" word that Cousin hears from his young teammates.

"We call him T.C. or T-Cuz," McDonald said. "We don't call him old. We do appreciate him being a mentor, but we don't call him old."

"He's been around something like 14 years," Lawson said. "You won't hear me calling him an old man. He's obviously doing something right. A guy like that deserves nothing but respect."