BEREA — You get the idea Shaun Rogers could see a film about his career being named “Escape From Detroit.”

You can’t be sure, because Rogers is uninterested in revealing himself to media members trying to figure out the most important man on the Browns defense.

The 6-foot-4, 350-pound defensive lineman agreed to a brief group interview Thursday, two days before returning to the city where he spent his first seven NFL seasons.

Agreed, not embraced.

“The clock is running,” he said.

A writer stammered out something about what runs through Rogers’ mind when he reflects on his 98 games as a Lion.

“That’s really not of a concern,” he said. “I’m going (there) to win a game, really. To try to get better and try to continue to help this team.”

He sat out Monday night’s game against the Giants with undisclosed aches, but he practiced Wednesday and Thursday. How is he?

“All right,” he said. “Camp wears on everybody a little bit, but we’re gonna push through, and be ready for when the real show goes on.”

Why didn’t he face the Giants?

“That was a decision (coach) Romeo (Crennel) and the medical staff made on my behalf and for the betterment of this team,” Rogers said. “I always want to play the game, but at the time that was the best decision for this team.”

Is it time to get some chemistry rolling?

“I feel we have a lot of chemistry already,” Rogers said. “We get a lot of good work out here in practice... I don’t think (chemistry) is gonna be a problem.”

Rogers was in on 447 tackles and 291⁄2 sacks for Lions teams that went 31-81. Maybe he got sick of answering to the press.

What about the Detroit fans? What kind of reception does the two-time Pro Bowler suppose he’ll receive?

“I play for the Browns now,” he said. “I’m assuming I’ll get the same reception the other Browns will get.”

Does he stay in touch with some of the Lions? Yes. Will it be strange dressing in the visitors’ locker room?

“No. I went over there and chilled before.”

Seven years a Lion, five months a Brown. Has he found his old organization and his new one to be notably different?

“Yeah,” Rogers said. “We wear orange, and they wear blue.”

Really?

“Yeah.”

That was it. The big man lumbered to the locker room door, not looking back at a dozen people watching him.

Obviously, the 29-year-old Texan isn’t going out of his way to come off as Mr. Nice Guy.

But then, the brass is mostly interested in how he applies his mean streak on the field.

Throughout spring practice, into the early part of summer, the brass raved about his will to succeed, about his uncommon size-speed ratio, about the change he can make on the Browns’ line.

In Detroit, at times, he was characterized as indifferent, or worse.

What about now? How does the brass feel about Rogers a month into training camp?

“I still like him,” Crennel said. “In shorts, we all look good, but in pads he looks good, too.

“I think you’ll like what he’s able to bring to the table.”



D.A. update

With quarterback Derek Anderson recovering from a concussion, Brady Quinn ran the first-team offense a second straight day.

“Derek is getting better,” Crennel said. “With a concussion, you have to give ’em rest so they can get back to baseline.”

“Baseline” involves a medical evaluation used to determine when a concussed player may return to practice.

“When that will be, I’m not able to say.”

Crennel said Anderson did not deal with even a mild concussion at any point in 2007.

After skipping the Detroit game, might Anderson play Thursday against the Bears?

“If he’s cleared to return,” Crennel said, “yeah, I would think so.”



Where’s the hair?

Rookie linebacker Chase Ortiz’s new haircut was short, and it was hideous. It looked as if someone had put battery acid in a squirt gun and aimed it at his scalp.

He was the victim of haircut day, part of rookie initiation.

“We got called down the hall for a linebacker meeting,” said Ortiz, a big man on campus at Texas Christian at this time last year. “We walked down the hall and walked into some clippers.”

The rookies weren’t allowed to shave their heads and let something normal grow back until after Thursday night’s rookie show, at which Ortiz planned to sing the Temptations’ “My Girl.”

Kamerion Wimbley, in just his third pro season, seemed to take special delight in Ortriz’s discomfort.

Too soon to think about revenge?

“There’s a lot more veterans than there are rookies,” Ortiz said.



Hit somebody

Crennel ran the first part of Thursday’s practice in pads with some robust hitting, then had players scale down to shorts for the last 90 minutes.

“We wanted to get a little run blocking and run defense in,” Crennel said. “They were pretty spirited. I thought that was good.”



Extra points

n Fullback Charles Ali (neck burner) and tight end Steve Heiden (back) did not practice Thursday.

n Wideout Kevin Jasper practiced a second straight day, but between plays he kept high-stepping with his left leg as if his hamstring is still nagging him.

n Crennel on who will be his emergency No. 3 quarterback at Detroit: “I’m gonna keep that a secret, but I’ll say the offense would be very limited.”

n Cornerback Travis Daniels, who arrived Wednesday after a trade with Miami, is unlikely to play at Detroit. Defensive coordinator Mel Tucker was an assistant coach at LSU in 2000 when he helped recruit Daniels to that program.

n At one point in practice, chatty defensive lineman Shaun Smith and Kellen Winslow Jr. engaged in a verbal scuffle. Linebacker Andra Davis held back Winslow while the tight end moved toward Smith.