By Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- On a night that was supposed to be all about fun, family and fireworks for the Cleveland Browns, the team was rocked by two bombshells regarding key players Trent Richardson and Joe Haden.
Richardson, the Browns' top pick in the April draft, will likely undergo surgery Thursday in Pensacola, Fla., by orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews to remove a small piece of cartilage from his sore left knee.
But the team is optimistic that Richardson, who had a torn meniscus repaired by Andrews in February, will be back in time for the opener Sept. 9 against the Eagles -- exactly a month away. Early word is that he'll be out two to three weeks.
"We're hopeful that he can be [back for the opener], but we'll see," coach Pat Shurmur said after the Family Fun Night practice at the stadium, which was attended by new owner Jimmy Haslam. "We'll all know more tomorrow."
Shortly after news broke of Richardson's procedure, espncleveland.com reported that Haden faces a possible four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. One source told the site that Haden was found with Adderall in his system, a stimulant used to treat attention deficit disorder and similar conditions.
Teams are not permitted to comment on the players who violate the policy, and are subject to a $500,000 fine if they do.
"If I knew something, I couldn't talk about it -- and I don't know anything," said Shurmur. "I'm assuming that if that's the case we'll receive notice from the league, but as I mentioned that hasn't been the case."
After practice, Haden also declined comment. "It's really a league matter," said Haden. "I can't comment on that right now."
Haden did say, however, that he's still Mr. Cleveland -- the clean-cut, happy-go-lucky guy that fans have come to know and love.
"Everybody knows who I am," he said. "Honestly, my friends and my family, they know exactly who I am. All the Haden Nation supporters. They know who I am and you can't put up a front. So I'm just going to just keep balling, keep looking forward to the next game and keep doing my thing."
Cornerback Dimitri Patterson talked like a man who knows he'll probably be starting the first four games.
"This is a natural transition for me," he said. "I'll never be pressed [into service]. I've always been ready to start. The door opened and that's all it really is -- one person don't make a secondary."
Safety T.J. Ward, Haden's best friend on the team, said "I was surprised as anyone" to hear the news. He said the report shouldn't change people's perceptions of Haden.
"People should love him for who he is," Ward said. "He's a great person."
Asked how Haden is handling it, Ward said, "I don't know. Joe's always in high spirits. He'll bounce back from this.
"We all have to step it up a notch," he continued, also giving support to Patterson. "We have a great secondary. ... [Patterson's] as good as any corner in the game right now."
Haden's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, who attended practice on Tuesday, declined to comment. His business manager, Sean Cabble said, "This is the first I've heard of it."
Shurmur, speaking in generic terms, said players know the rules.
"Our players are well aware of what they can and can't put in their bodies," he said. "That's one of the indoctrinations to this league and the players all know that they're responsible for what goes in their bodies and I'm not speaking about any specific situation and I'm not alluding to anything that I don't know about. I'm just saying they're all aware of what they can't put in their bodies."
In the week since Haslam had his introductory press conference, he's watched linebacker Chris Gocong's season end with a torn Achilles and now the Richardson surgery and possible Haden suspension. It didn't stop him from shaking hands and posing for pictures with fans last night. 
"Football's a tough game and injuries are part of the game," said Haslam. "And it probably hurts a team like us that's a little younger, maybe a little less depth. But like I said, we're building a good team, we're doing it as we said on Friday for the long run, we're going to do it the right way. We're not going to panic and not do the right things to bring a winner to Cleveland over the long period of time."
As for Haden's possible suspension, he said, "You know, I don't know enough to comment on that. Obviously Joe's a great player and we certainly hope he's available, but I don't know anything more than that."
He also said he'd been in business meetings here all day and didn't know much more about Richardson other than that he had "a little knee issue."
Espncleveland reported that Haden has been notified that he tested positive for a banned substance. If the original sample tests positive again, he'd suspended for the first four games. Haden could appeal, and most likely would. The suspension would cost him four game checks, more than $1.35 million.
According to the policy, Haden would also be ineligible for the Pro Bowl or other league or NFLPA honors.
As for Richardson, he experienced swelling in the knee, had an MRI Tuesday and flew to Pensacola, Fla. where Andrews has a clinic. Andrews has been Richardson's surgeon since high school, when he repaired ligaments in both ankles.
The procedure is a precautionary measure, a source said.
http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2012/08/cleveland_browns_trent_richard_4.html
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