Young DEs anxious for more
Zac Jackson, Staff Writer
05.08.2008
A year ago at this time, Melila Purcell and Chase Pittman were rookie dreamers, late-round picks with a lot to learn and nothing more guaranteed to them than a chance to fight for a roster spot.
Now, both are in similar situations. And while neither has a promise of any sort from the Browns, each has a chance beginning with next week's organized team activity (OTA) practices and carrying into this summer's training camp to show enough promise to make the regular season roster.
Both Purcell and Pittman were waived at the end of last year's preseason and spent the regular season on the practice squad. Though Purcell was promoted to the active roster for the season finale, he was not one of the 45 players who dressed for the game.
They're not rookies anymore, but they still find themselves on the lower end of a total transformation on the Browns' defensive line. In free agency in 2007 the Browns added Robaire Smith and Shaum Smith before drafting Purcell and Pittman; this year, trades brought Corey Williams and Shaun Rogers to the Browns before the team drafted Ahtyba Rubin in the sixth round.
"I'm real anxious to see where I fit," Pittman said. "This whole team has come a long way. I'm looking forward to getting out there and seeing how this plays out."
Though Pittman was a seventh-round choice a year ago, he was probably the more polished of the two young defensive ends after playing collegiately at Texas and LSU and closing his college career with a strong senior season on one of the nation's best defenses.
Purcell, though, was an intriguing, athletic sixth-round prospect who had some experience in a three-man defensive front from his days at the University of Hawaii. Though that may have given him an advantage initially, he found himself basically starting from scratch with the Browns.
"I learned a whole bunch," Purcell said. "It's been fun, but kind of hard at the same time. But it's been exciting just getting all the information from the coaches and some of vets as well.
"I wasn't playing, but I was taking mental reps. Just trying to get better."
Purcell was listed at 6-foot-5, 285 last season, and he's noticeably bigger in the upper body after a full year in an NFL weight program. Pittman also has good size (6-foot-5, 275) for a 3-4 defense but needed more experience after playing exclusively as a 4-3 end in college.
"Just learning the 3-4 was like learning football all over again," he said. "But I've spent a little time in the weight room getting bigger, and that's something I needed to do.
"I think (spending 2007 on the practice squad) was the best thing for me. The whole experience was a good one for me."
Pittman said the coaches want him "to be physical, to be strong," and he's worked to have himself ready to catch their eyes over the next few weeks and months. Purcell said he's more confident and more comfortable with his responsibilities in the Browns' defensive scheme.
"I'm stronger and I have better technique," he said. "I'm a little rusty, though, so I'm ready to get out on the field."
If Purcell, a native of American Samoa, can survive a Cleveland winter, the dog days of training camp might come easy.
"I was kind of scared (of the snow) at first," he said. "I only came to the facility to work out and then went back home. That was about it."
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