HC Kevin Stefanski (10.16.20)
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski:
On if QB Baker Mayfield will play Sunday and the plan for WR Odell Beckham Jr. as it relates to Beckham’s illness and the team traveling to Pittsburgh tomorrow, including if Beckham could travel in a separate vehicle:
“With Baker, I think he is trending in the right direction, but we have to make sure that we are safe with this as this goes and use all these hours for treatment and see how he responds. With Odell, he is still out of the building. With another negative test tomorrow, he is back in the building, and we will work through all the travel protocols. Like you mentioned, I think we are going to think through all options.”
On if Beckham is feeling good enough physically to play this weekend, if cleared:
“He is doing better, yes.”
On how Mayfield is progressing with his injury and how Mayfield looked throwing the ball today:
“Yeah, like we have been saying all along, he is improving every day.”
On how WR Jarvis Landry looked in practice today and if Landry will be ready to play Sunday:
“Yeah, I think he is also progressing. As you guys know, he is a very, very tough dude. He has spent a lot of time in the training room getting his body right, but he is making a push to Sunday like he always does.”
On if Beckham missing two practices affects how Beckham could be used in the gameplan:
“He was out here Wednesday and got some good work in Wednesday. He has been in meetings virtually. (Pass game coordinator/wide receivers) Coach (Chad) O’Shea is going to spend extra time with him in those meetings. If all goes according to plan for tomorrow, you spend even more time and you spend even more walkthrough time. I think there is enough time to catch him up, barring his health.”
On P Jamie Gillan being listed on the injury report and who is the Browns’ emergency punter:
“That would be the kicker (Cody Parkey). I would assume most teams are like that.”
On the Browns’ past 24 hours with Beckham being sent home with an illness yesterday, Beckham’s negative COVID-19 tests and the Colts temporarily shutting down their facility:
“That is 2020. We are prepared. We are just looking to find a way. Whatever comes our way, we will be ready to deal with.”
On if he has spoken with Beckham today about how Beckham is feeling:
“Yes. He is improving.”
On who would be the Browns third QB on Sunday, if needed:
“We have contingency plans, I promise you. We will deal with that if it comes up, but we are prepared.”
On how and when Gillan sustained his injury:
“Just something happened in practice. He is on the treatment list and have to make sure he keeps getting some treatment and see how the next 48 hours go.”
On if Gillan sustained his injury in practice today:
“It was yesterday.”
On S Ronnie Harrison Jr. being ruled out for Sunday after sustaining a concussion on Sunday:
“Just following the protocols. We ruled him out.”
On if he will speak with the team about keeping the focus on playing the game, if emotions run high on Sunday:
“I think the guys are very well aware of what is important on Sunday. Two really good football teams. I think the guys put the focus on the game because it is a big one because of these two teams that are playing. I do not think anything from the past is going to affect this game.”
On Steelers LB T.J. Watt’s comment that Mayfield looks like a more confident QB this year and what helps make a QB become more confident:
“I think Baker is very comfortable with what we are doing schematically. Maybe that is what T.J. is alluding to. I would tell you that Baker is getting better and better each week, and he is comfortable with what we are doing.”
On if S Sheldrick Redwine is expected to start at SS:
“He will be.”
On what Redwine has shown in practice and his confidence level in Redwine:
“He is doing a good job. He understands what we are trying to do, understands his role and has ball skills, like you saw in that last game. Just looking for him to contribute any which way he can.”
On if Mayfield would have been able to play if the game were today and how things went with QB Case Keenum taking more first-team reps this weeks:
“I think you know I am going to go with this one – I will not speculate if the game was today; it is on Sunday. Case does a great job as a backup, provides great support in that meeting room and does whatever is asked of him out there on the practice field. He plays a big role every week for us.”
On how the team responded to the lack of offensive continuity this week with multiple players missing practice time:
“I think the message has been back to the spring you just have to find a way. There will be many things thrown at you, as we have all seen this offseason and in the season. There will be many things thrown at you during a game, whether it comes in the first quarter of the fourth quarter so you just have to find a way.”
On the challenge for the Browns DL and DE Myles Garrett to get to Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, given Roethlisberger gets the ball out quickly:
“That is one of the things he does a great job of is getting that ball out and not letting the defensive line get near him. We have to make life hard on him. There are different ways to do that with coverage and rush. If he is going to get the ball out quickly, we have to attack them.”
On determining who will play FS and SS:
“I think you look at that as trying to do what both guys do well. Sometimes you have a team that has two down safeties, sometimes you have team that has two post safeties and figure out who is better in the post and who is better down. They really both have to be able to do both because you want them to be interchangeable. I think you will see a mixture from that outfit just so you are not exactly telegraphing what you are doing every time.”
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