CLEVELAND — Ken Dorsey is no dummy. His intelligence — not his below-average throwing arm — is the reason he’s been an NFL quarterback for six years.
So as Dorsey tried to engineer a winning touchdown drive Thursday night in the fourth quarter of the 24-20 preseason loss to the Jets, he did the smart thing and continually threw toward the receiver he figured would give him the best chance of success.
The target? Rookie tight end Martin Rucker.
He led the Browns with five catches for 70 yards, a 14.0 average.
“I didn’t expect to play the entire second half,” said Rucker, a fourth-round pick out of Missouri. “It was fun. I look forward to the next game.”
Dorsey took over for Brady Quinn at the end of the third quarter. In the next 15:44, he threw for Rucker 10 times. They connected three times for 50 yards, drew a pass interference penalty, had an incompletion negated by roughing the passer, four passes fell incomplete and one was intercepted on fourth down on a throw into the end zone from the 14-yard line.
“I think I did all right,” Rucker said. “I definitely think I should have caught a couple more balls at the end of the game, so I’m a little disappointed about that. But it’s something for me to work on when we get back to practice (today).”
Many of Rucker’s patterns were over the middle, where he drew double teams, including on a play that just missed in the back of the end zone.
“It was more of a timing thing,” Rucker said of the incompletions. “I just needed to get my hands up quicker. Late in the game, been playing a lot of plays, you get a little fatigued and lose a little bit of focus.
“I’ve got to push through that, work harder at that in practice, get some work after practice and hopefully next time it won’t happen.”
Rucker has shown sure hands throughout training camp, which fits with the draft-day scouting report. He also made a nice move in the flat to pick up 11 yards, and showed toughness by getting up after being flipped and hit awkwardly by a pair of Jets.
He even did some blocking, which was the knock on him as he entered the NFL.
“I think I moved some guys,” he said. “Coming into this league and playing at this level, I think I did a pretty good job.”
Rucker, who is behind Kellen Winslow and Steve Heiden on the depth chart, wasn’t the only reserve pass catcher who had a good night.
Travis Wilson had three catches for 58 yards, Steve Sanders three for 29 and rookie Paul Hubbard two for 49, including an acrobatic 44-yarder down the sideline that upheld a replay challenge.
The performances were welcome for the Browns, who are looking for depth and stability behind starters Braylon Edwards and Donte Stallworth, especially with Joe Jurevicius out indefinitely following a series of knee surgeries.
Wilson and Kevin Kasper, who’s out with a hamstring injury, are competing for the third receiver spot in Jurevicius’ absence. Kick returner Joshua Cribbs (one catch, 13 yards) is also in the mix at receiver, leaving Sanders, Hubbard and Efrem Hill (one catch, 16 yards) fighting for a roster spot.
Hubbard, a sixth-round pick, could open the season on the practice squad, but he flashed the athletic ability that made him a track star at Wisconsin and attractive to general manager Phil Savage on draft day.
He ran past defensive back James Ihedigbo down the right sideline, leaped to catch the ball and landed with his elbow inbounds.
“We needed a big play and my number was called, so I went up and made the play,” said Hubbard, who did a celebratory shimmy when he got up. “That was something spontaneous. It came out of nowhere.”
Many of the completions came from Quinn, who has had perhaps the best view of the reserve receivers as the No. 2 quarterback.
“I’m with them every day, so I’ll never question them,” he said. “I see their work ethic, see how intelligent they are, how they’re able to pick up things, especially on the fly.
“When out there in a game scenario, for guys who don’t get as many reps, it’s nice to see how they’re able to adjust and can be on the same page in a split-second.”

Contact Scott Petrak at 329-7253 or spetrak@chroniclet.com.

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