CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns rookie receiver Greg Little, their second-round pick from the Atlanta trade, didn't attend "Camp Colt'' last week at Baldwin-Wallace in Berea because of a prior family commitment, his agent told The Plain Dealer today.
"Greg is one of the hardest-working players I've ever been around and he hasn't taken a day off since he was drafted,'' said agent Andy Ross of Octagon. "After not playing for a year, he's very, very hungry to get in there and start working with his teammates.''
Ross said Little felt comfortable making the family commitment last week because under the rules of the old collective bargaining agreement, rookies wouldn't have been permitted to participate in team activities -- except for a minicamp the weekend after the draft -- until after May 16. Those rules were in place because players are still in classes in May.
Ross said that if the Browns players hold another camp -- which have been led by quarterback Colt McCoy -- he and his colleagues will advise Little on how to proceeed. In the absence of a CBA, agents can't sign injury protection agreements with the clubs that would ensure negotiation in good faith in the event of injury. The only rookie to attend last week's camp was USC tight end Jordan Cameron.
An unnamed GM last week told Sports Illustrated he was waiting for the first A.C.L. tear out of one of these camps.
"It's an issue we plan to discuss with Greg when the next opportunity comes,'' Ross said. "We hope to have a labor agreement in place by that time.''
Ross said Little would be interested in attending a players-only camp to study film and work out, but would most likely skip the on-field drills. McCoy has been teaching the fundamentals of the West Coast offense, including showing films of coach Pat Shurmur's offense from last season. The players have also spent time together attending Indians games and other activities.
So far, the details of the next camp haven't been revealed and McCoy likes to keep them quiet.
"Greg is ready to get in there and start building that camaraderie with his teammates,'' said Ross. "He's been talking to the guys on the phone and things like that.''
He said Little -- who sat out all last season at North Carolina after accepting impermissible agent benefits -- has been running hills every day in Portland, Oregon, and that he's also been returned to Athletes Performance Institute in Arizona, where he did his pre-Combine training.
"Greg is in tremendous shape and ready to go,'' said Ross.
Ross said Little and the rest of the rookie skill players are currently in Los Angeles for the rookie premier seminar, which runs through the weekend.
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