Run game coordinator Ben Bloom (12.10.21)
On LB Jacob Phillips being designated to return from injured reserve and how much Phillips has been able to do in practice this week:
“He has gotten involved in drills and stuff like that. Running around. He has done a good job.”
On when Phillips might be available to return to the active roster:
“It is really not my call, but everything I have seen he is on the right track. He has been working his tail off for months now to get back and to be close to being ready. Obviously, it could happen soon, but I am not quite sure when. I have been really impressed with his work ethic.
On whether Phillips’ limited gameday experience will affect the timeline to return:
“The thing about Jacob is he is such a hard worker, and he is an instinctive football player. If you just watch his whole career in college and in the NFL, when he goes in, he makes plays. He is the playmaker. He is what we want in linebackers. He has length, speed and competitiveness. When he played early in his rookie year, he made plays. I have all of the confidence in the world that we he gets back on the field, it is just like riding a bike.”
On how tough it will be for Phillips to get back up to speed after being injured midway through training camp:
“I think the beauty of our position group at linebacker is that we have depth and we have guys who can play multiple spots. He is a guy who can come in and play and contribute. Again, I have a lot of confidence in him. He studies the game. He gets a lot of mental reps off of the field when he is not actually in there. I think when he comes in, he will execute, and he will play really well.”
On LB Anthony Walker Jr. being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list this week and the Browns plan at LB:
“It is unfortunate for Anthony. The first thing for me is his health. I hope he is doing great and that he will get back on the field soon when he is able to. For our room, we have a lot of confidence in the guys and their ability to play multiple positions. We have had guys miss time at different positions – MIKE, WILL and SAM. All of the guys are trained to play multiple positions. (Linebackers) Coach (Jason) Tarver does a terrific job in practice, starting in training camp, of training guys at multiple positions. We are really confident in our depth and the ability for guys to come in and step in for Anthony.”
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