The Cleveland Browns today signed 2012 sixth round draft pick linebacker Emmanuel Acho. In addition, the team signed linebacker JoJo Dickson and running back Adonis Thomas.

The club also waived running back Armond Smith and placed linebacker Andrew Sweat on the reserve/retired list. Selected in the sixth round (204th overall), Acho appeared in 48 games at the University of Texas (2008-11).

He recorded 280 career tackles, eight sacks, seven forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions. He started all 13 games as a senior, totaling 131 tackles, three sacks, one interception and one forced fumble.

Originally signed by Jacksonville as an undrafted free agent on July 26, 2011, Dickson was waived by the Jaguars prior to the start of the regular season. He was re-signed by Jacksonville on April 16, 2012 and was waived on April 27.

 A four-year letterman at the University of Idaho (2007-10), he recorded 182 career tackles, three sacks, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble in 41 contests. Born July 13, 1989, the 6-1, 245-pound Dickson is a native of Wailuku, Hawaii where he attended Baldwin High School.

 Thomas participated in the Browns’ rookie minicamp this past weekend on a tryout basis. He was a four-year letterman at the University of Toledo (2008-11), where he totaled 2,551 career rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns. He averaged 6.3 yards per carry in each of his final two seasons, a figure which led the Mid-American Conference each year.

Born February 25, 1989, the 5-9, 185-pound Thomas attended Weeguahic High School in Newark, N.J.

Pat Shurmur’s first Rookie Mini Camp came and went with very little fan fare but the coach walks away from the weekend with a better understanding of the 2012 draft.

 He also feels much more confidant that his team is further along this year than last, as he explained to the media on Sunday “If you compare the middle of May this year to the middle of May last year, it’s night and day ahead of where we were at. I’m excited about that. It’s a normal teaching process this year with being able to work with the players individually for a while and then put them out here on the field and watch them compete and be able to teach them the stuff that they’re going to have to execute in the fall. From that standpoint, it’s easier for us to visualize us moving forward.”

With that here are a few other notes I gathered throughout the weekend.

-Trent Richardson- he isn’t that tall but that is the only normal thing about the former Alabama running back. His thighs are huge and the balance and acceleration through the hole is outstanding. It was eye opening to watch. Its early and no pads where worn but you can see why the Browns made Richardson a must last month in the top half of the draft. The other comfort with Richardson is his want to put his success behind him and to start a new legacy, as he stated on Friday.

“Mentally, I do not listen to what anybody else says, but me, I am going to hold my expectations high, real high, very high. The expectations that they have for me now, I don’t think it is high enough for me and I am going to go higher and I am going to go to the extreme. You never set your expectations at a limit and that is just me being a man and being a competitor and an athlete. I think you should always have your expectations high.

 Being the third pick in the first round, having all of the success at Alabama, for me from this point on I am not going to speak much about what I did at Alabama because that is old. I did that at Alabama and that was my college career. I am trying to make a name for myself in the NFL now.”

Brandon Weeden- this type of camp is made for a guy with a huge arm, as Weeden was able to show off not only the strength or his arm but also the touch that he has. Weeden’s biggest throw of the weekend came on Saturday as he rolled to his left and unleashed a 25 yard spiral that was dead on the money. The obstacle that he will have to overcome is taking snaps from under the center.

On Friday the ball was fumbled more than any coach would want, but by Sunday afternoon the snaps had become an afterthought. Once the camp concluded Weeden seemed confidant in what he accomplished, “I think I got better every day, and that was really my only goal coming in. Obviously, it was going to be new terminology and new guys, so I knew it wasn’t going to be perfect all the time. I just wanted to learn and continue to get better every day, and I feel like I accomplished that.

We had five really good practices, everybody got better. You could tell by the end of the day, everybody was just flowing, not many guys were thinking. Everybody was playing hard and executing what was called.”

The Browns will now have the veterans come back on Monday and here is the plan for the team from Coach Shurmur, “They’ll be just like everybody else now. Soon here, in a week and a half, we’ll be into our OTA’s. They’ll feel like practices, much like the one they just went through. We have 10 of those and then we have three minicamp days. They will be able to do that, plus the offseason program stuff which we have been doing with the vets. They get a chance to do that now.”

The Cleveland Browns today signed eight of their 2012 draft choices, a list which consists of offensive lineman Mitchell Schwartz, defensive lineman John Hughes, wide receiver Travis Benjamin, linebacker James-Michael Johnson, offensive lineman Ryan Miller, defensive lineman Billy Winn, defensive back Trevin Wade and fullback Brad Smelley.

The Browns tabbed Schwartz in the second round with the 37th overall pick. He started all 51 career games at the University of California (2008-11), opening 35 contests at left tackle and 16 at right tackle. Schwartz earned All-Pac 12 Conference and Academic All-Conference honors all four seasons. As a senior, he opened all 13 games at left tackle, while helping Cal average 28.3 points and 401.5 yards per game. Drafted in the third round (87th overall),

Hughes started 26 of his 50 career games at the University of Cincinnati (2008-11). He totaled 141 career tackles, nine sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. As a senior, he notched 51 tackles, five sacks and a blocked kick. Selected in the fourth round (100th overall),

Benjamin was a four-year letterman at the University of Miami (2008-11). In 49 career games, he totaled 131 receptions for 2,146 yards with 13 touchdowns. He finished his career as one of only six players in school history to record more than 2,000 receiving yards joining Santana Moss, Reggie Wayne, Michael Irving, Lamar Thomas and Leonard Hankerson.

Benjamin finished his career ranked third in Hurricanes’ history in all-purpose yards with 3,874. Johnson was tabbed in the fourth round (120th overall) after serving as a four-year starter at the University of Nevada (2008-11). He totaled 299 career tackles, 8.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles, three interceptions and two fumble recoveries. He finished his career ranked third in school history in forced fumbles and sixth in tackles. A fifth-round selection (160th overall), Miller was a five-year letterman at the University of Colorado (2007-11). He became only the second CU football player since 1908 to earn five letters as he started the first four games in 2008 before suffering a broken fibula and redshirted the remainder of the season.

Miller set a school record with 48 career starts. Winn was drafted in the sixth round (205th overall) after starting 41 of his 53 games at Boise State University (2008-11). He totaled 131 career tackles, 15.5 sacks, four fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. As a senior, he notched 33 tackles, three sacks and one fumble recovery. Selected in the seventh round (245th overall), Wade was a four-year letterman at the University of Arizona (2008-11).

 He opened 35 of his 50 career games and totaled 180 tackles, 12 interceptions and one forced fumble.

 Smelley was tabbed in the seventh round (247th overall) after lettering four seasons at the University of Alabama (2008-11). He appeared in 47 games as a tight end and H-back, recording 54 career receptions for 559 yards with four touchdowns.

BEREA, Ohio (AP) -- The Cleveland Browns have a massive hole to plug on their defensive line. Run-stopping tackle Phil Taylor will be out for months, and maybe for the season with a torn chest muscle.

Taylor tore his left pectoral muscle lifting weights Thursday and needs surgery, a potentially devastating blow to Cleveland's defense. "He's going to miss a significant amount of time, more months than weeks," Browns coach Pat Shurmur said Friday as the team opened its three-day rookie minicamp.

"It's too early to speculate how long that will be. It's just one of those things that happened. "It's unfortunate. We feel bad for Phil, but he is in good spirits and he is going to come back from this thing stronger than ever." Shurmur said Taylor, a first-round pick in 2011, will have surgery next week. He acknowledged Taylor's injury "could be" season-ending.

"It's too early to say right now in terms of the recovery," Shurmur said. "Everyone recovers at a different rate. Our guess is that he will be a fast healer, but he will require surgery." Typically, torn pectoral muscles take at least sixth months to heal.

Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson missed most of two seasons with the injury. Jackson had two surgeries but bounced back and led Cleveland in tackles last season.

Taylor, the No. 21 overall pick last year, started all 16 games as a rookie. He finished with 59 tackles, four sacks and the 6-foot-3, 335-pounder improved Cleveland's defensive front.

The Browns drafted Cincinnati defensive tackle John Hughes and Boise State's Billy Winn last month for depth, and the two may be needed sooner than the team envisioned.

Browns defensive tackle Phil Taylor injured his left pectoral today lifting weights as part of the club’s offseason program. He will be further evaluated on Monday to determine a course of treatment.

The Cleveland Browns today announced the signing of 15 undrafted free agents. The group includes five defensive backs, four offensive linemen, three wide receivers, two linebackers and one defensive lineman. In addition, the team waived linebacker Brian Smith.

              Name                                Pos.         Ht.          Wt.        Birthdate         College                      Hometown

              Mike Allen                      DB            6-0          180         8/26/1988        James Madison       Powhatan, Va.

              Jake Anderson              OL             6-5          305         1/17/1989        Akron                          Erie, Pa.

              Johnson Bademosi      DB            6-0          200         7/23/1990        Stanford                    Silver Spring, Md.

              Matt Cleveland             OL             6-3          295         8/15/1989        Idaho                          Kent, Wash.

              Josh Cooper                   WR           5-10       190         1/8/1989          Oklahoma State      Mustang, Okla.

              Emanuel Davis               DB            5-10       195         8/9/1988          East Carolina            Manteo, N.C.      

              L.J. Fort                            LB             6-0          230         1/3/1990          Northern Iowa        Waynesville, Mo.

              Garth Gerhart               OL             6-1          305         10/21/1988     Arizona State           Norco, Calif.

              Tashaun Gipson            DB            5-11       205         8/7/1990          Wyoming                   Dallas, Texas

              William Green               DL             6-3          250         4/281990          Florida                        Hoover, Ala.

              Antwuan Reed              DB            5-10       190         11/29/1989     Pittsburgh                 Johnstown, Pa.

              Bert Reed                        WR           5-10       180         6/1/1988          Florida State             Panama City, Fla.

              Jermaine Saffold          WR           6-0          200         3/5/1989          Missouri State         Grandview, Mo.

              J.B. Shugarts                  OL             6-6          305         10/26/1989     Ohio State                 Klein, Texas

              Andrew Sweat              LB             6-0          230         4/11/1989        Ohio State                 Washington, Pa.

MIKE ALLEN – Four year letterman at James Madison University (2008-11)… Began collegiate career as a wide receiver before converting to defense prior to junior season… Totaled 63 career tackles, 10 passes defensed, three interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery… Attended Blessed Sacrament Huguenot High School in Powhatan, Va.

JAKE ANDERSON – Four year letterman at the University of Akron (2008-11)… Did not miss a game in four years, appearing in all 48… Utilized mostly at right tackle… Attended McDowell High School in Erie Pa.

JOHNSON BADEMOSI – Appeared in 48 games at Stanford University (2008-11)… Totaled 122 career tackles, two forced fumbles and one interception… Was also a member of the track and field team at Stanford… Attended Gonzaga High School in in Silver Spring, Md.

MATT CLEVELAND – Three year starter at the University of Idaho (2009-11)… Miss the 2008 season due to injury, but went on to start the next 38 games at left tackle… Attended Kentwood High School in Covington, Wash.

JOSH COOPER – Tallied 161 career receptions, 1,696 receiving yards and 11 receiving touchdowns at Oklahoma State University (2008-11)… As a senior, finished second on the team in receptions (71) and receiving yards (716), while adding three touchdown catches… Attended Mustang (Okla,) High School.

EMANUEL DAVIS – Appeared in 49 career games at East Carolina University (2008-11) with 38 starts… Notched 230 career tackles, nine interceptions, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and 1.5 sacks… Attended Manteo (N.C.) High School.

L.J. FORT – Appeared in 50 games game at the University of Northern Iowa (2008-11) with 34 starts… Finished 2011 as the Division I FCS national leader in total tackles (184) and tackles per game (14.15)… Named the Missouri Valley Football Conference's Defensive Player of the Year and was selected as the FCS National Defensive Player of the Year by both College Sporting News and College Sports Madness… Finished fifth in school history with 356 career stops… Attended Waynesville (Mo.) High School. 

GARTH GERHART – Started 35 of the 39 games in which he saw action in at Arizona State University (2008-11)… Opened 27 games at center, five at right guard and three at left guard… Brother, Toby, is a running back for the Minnesota Vikings… Attended Norco (Calif.) High School.

TASHAUN GIPSON – Four year starter at the University of Wyoming (2008-11)… Notched nine career interceptions… As a senior, recorded 95 tackles and three interceptions… Attended Kimball High School in Dallas, Texas.

WILLIAM GREEN – Appeared in 53 contests with four starts at the University of Florida (2008-11)… Totaled 53 tackles and 2.5 sacks… As a senior, saw action in 13 games, notching 21 tackles and half a sack… Attended Spain Park High School in Hoover, Ala.

ANTWUAN REED – Four year letterman at the University of Pittsburgh (2008-11)… As a senior, totaled 30 tackles, seven passes defensed and three fumble recoveries, including returning one for a touchdown… Named to the All-Big East second team after final season… Attended Greater Johnstown (Pa.) High School.

BERT REED – Four year letterman at Florida State University (2008-11)… Finished career ranked fourth in school history in receptions (170) and 12th in receiving yards (2,022)… Also notched 10 career touchdown receptions, while adding 34 rushing attempts for 243 yards with three scores… As a senior, totaled 29 receptions for 403 yards with five touchdowns… Attended Bay High School in Panama City, Fla.

JERMAINE SAFFOLD – Four year letterman at Missouri State University (2008-11)… Set the school single-season season (913 in 2011) and career (2,221) records for receiving yardage… As a senior, recorded 45 receptions with eight touchdowns and ranked 25th nationally in receiving yards per game (83.0)… Nine career 100-yard receiving performances were also a school record… Attended Grandview (Mo.) High School.

J.B. SHUGARTS – Four year letterman at Ohio State University (2008-11)… Three year starter at right tackle… Father, Bret, was a defensive end for the Pittsburgh Steelers (1987)… Attended Klein (Texas) High School.

ANDREW SWEAT – Appeared in 49 career games at Ohio State University (2008-11)… Totaled 201 career tackles, three interceptions, three forced fumbles and one sack… As a senior, finished second on the team with 72 tackles, while adding one interception and one forced fumble… Attended Trinity High School in Washington, Pa.

(CLEVELAND) -- The NFL has suspended Browns linebacker Scott Fujita three games for his participation in the New Orleans Saints bounty system during the 2009 playoffs.

Fujita is a member of the NFL Players Association and there were rumors that he would be fined, but on Wednesday the league announced the linebacker's suspension.

According to the NFL, Fujita participated in a bounty pool, which paid players cash rewards based on performances and handing out injuries to opposing players. Big hits, cart offs and knockouts were among the plays that players could be rewarded with cash.

Fujita was one of four players disciplined by the NFL on Wednesday.

- Nick Camino   

CLEVELAND -- Colt McCoy returned to work with the Cleveland Browns not knowing how much longer he'll have a job.

McCoy participated as expected in the team's voluntary offseason conditioning program on Monday just days after Cleveland drafted his likely successor, Oklahoma State QB Brandon Weeden.

The Browns selected Weeden, a former minor league pitcher in the New York Yankees' system, in the first round on Thursday and the team is expected to start the 28-year-old this season as a rookie. McCoy could be kept as his backup and Browns president Mike Holmgren said over the weekend he could imagine McCoy staying on as the team's No. 2 QB.

"That could be a difficult situation except if it is ever going to work, it will work if that happens, because Colt McCoy is a special young man," said Holmgren, who picked McCoy in the third round in 2010. "Of course he wants to play, they all want to play. Again, nothing has been done yet, we don't know how it is going to sort itself out.

"But, if that were to be the case, at some point, I think we have the best chance of making that work because of who the people are, who the players are. It is never easy, everyone wants to play. But, you only have one ball and only one guy can play at a time."

Holmgren insisted Weeden will not be handed the starting job, but the Browns wouldn't have taken him with the No. 22 overall pick -- much sooner than most experts had him going -- if they intended to groom him for the future.

"In this business, you line them up, you give it your best shot and then we have to choose," Holmgren said. "We have to choose somebody to play. Right now, we have four quarterbacks on the roster and they are going to compete for the position."

Seneca Wallace was McCoy's backup last season.

The team has had internal discussions about dealing McCoy, but general manager Tom Heckert said the club has not discussed potential deals with any teams.

It is not known if McCoy has asked for a trade.

McCoy is 6-15 in two seasons as a starter. He made 13 starts last season before missing the final three games after suffering a concussion on a hit by Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison. The Browns were criticized for their handling of McCoy's injury, and the NFL implemented new policies as a result of the helmet-to-helmet hit.

McCoy's development last season was slowed by the Browns tying for the league lead in dropped passes. However, McCoy doesn't possess the same strong arm as Weeden and coach Pat Shurmur and Holmgren both said they believe better play by the team's quarterback will lead to more wins.

Shurmur said the Browns are better positioned to start a young quarterback, and Weeden's maturity makes it easier.

"I think he has crossed a lot of bridges that will give him an advantage if it happens quickly," Shurmur said. "But, I still think you bring him in, you work with him, you see what happens and then the overriding decision in all of this is that when we play our first game we put our best players out there. I think that's what we'll see."

Meanwhile, the Browns have signed one of Weeden's good friends and top college targets, wide receiver Josh Cooper. He was Oklahoma State's second-leading receiver last season, catching 71 passes for 715 yards and three touchdowns.

Shurmur said the Browns will sign around 15 undrafted free agents.

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