HC Kevin Stefanski (9.4.20)
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski:
Opening statement:
“Good work out there. Last day of training camp and last night of practices. Pulled the team together there at the end and just told them how much I appreciate how much that group works. From the moment we got started in April on the iPads to finally getting them in the building there in July, every step along the way, they have worked. We have changed schedules on them, we have thrown curveballs at them and they have not blinked. Real appreciative of the men in that group. As you know, the cut downs loom, and they are tough decisions and that is never the fun part of this business. Really pleased with the group that we have here tonight, and then we will get this thing down to our 53.”
On who called offensive plays during practice tonight:
“They were scripted. I radioed them into the quarterback.”
On if he is ready to announce who will call offensive plays Week 1:
“We will announce that later. I promise you, you will know before the game.”
On if the Browns came into tonight’s practice with an idea of who would make the 53-man roster or if some more tough decisions need to be made based on tonight’s practice:
“I think your idea of the 53 evolves over the last couple of weeks. You kind of have a baseline of what you think. You get a couple practices in last week and maybe adjust a player here or there. Like I told you, I think we evaluate these guys every day at every meeting and every opportunity on the grass. With this, it definitely plays into what we are thinking about for tomorrow, but to say that tonight was the be all end all, I do not think that is fair.”
On the Browns trading for S Ronnie Harrison and if Harrison is expected to play Week 1:
“We will see about that. It is early to tell. We really have not gotten him in our building yet. There is a schematic fit with Ronnie. Talked to (LB) Mack (Wilson) earlier about him today. Just like the makeup of him, and we just were excited to add a player that we think will help us, but I think it is way too early to determine what that looks like, especially in Week 1.”
On if Harrison brings a similar versatility to what the Browns defense was planning for S Grant Delpit prior to injury:
“I would not speculate necessarily on the versatility piece yet. We really have to get our hands on him and see what he can learn and get up to speed quickly. Anytime you are adding a safety that can play down and in the post, obviously, that is important for what you are trying to run. We will determine that over the next couple of days, but there is a common thread schematically that runs from Jacksonville to us with that Seattle Cover 3 defense.”
On Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager Andrew Berry deciding to add a S following Delpit’s injury, particularly a willingness to do so through a trade:
“I think Andrew does an outstanding job along with his staff. We talk about it, but literally, every day they talk about ways to improve the team. In camp, every club, I am sure, has injuries at positions and they question what can we do about it. Sometimes it is via trade, and sometimes it is via the waiver wire. I do not think Andrew is going to leave any stone unturned at any point this whole year.”
On G Joel Bitonio, FB Andy Janovich, DT Larry Ogunjobi and S Andrew Sendejo not participating in tonight’s practice:
“They are fine. I decided to give them the day off.”
On if he believed the team needed to throttle down the workload during the past two practices in anticipation of the season’s start:
“I think you have to be so mindful of getting ready for the regular season, and we also have to think about we have a Thursday night game right after Sunday. We have two games and five days there. As we put this plan together, we wanted to make sure that we would have a very crisp football team Week 1.”
On if he considered having K Austin Seibert kick into the Dawg Pound end zone:
“We did that last week. I think we have put him in a bunch of different spots throughout camp, and that is going to continue throughout. All of our guys, we hope that we are pushing them not just in training camp but in Week 1, Week 2 and so on. Just put them in some tough spots.”
On if DT Sheldon Richardson is the emergency punt returner, given Richardson successfully fielded a punt during a friendly competition to start tonight’s practice:
“He has been asking to be part of the offense for a very long time so give him another role there (laughter).”
On impressions of Richardson this year:
“Sheldon and I were for a year at the Vikings. We have a little bit of a history. He has done a nice job. He is a veteran presence. He has kind of been through a lot. He is not an old man; he is a young man, but he has been through a lot. I know he wants to win very badly. He has been a great teammate, and I think he is excited to get this thing going.”
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