HC Kevin Stefanski (8.11.21)
On injury updates for TE David Njoku, DE Myles Garrett, CB Denel Ward and DE Jadeveon Clowney:
“David in particular is working through an injury. I think we will see him out there limited. The rest of the guys, we are just going to continue to be smart with them and see what they can do off of the field as we make sure we are taking care of them in the short term.”
On CB Denzel Ward’s injury and soreness being ‘mysterious’ to media to some degree:
“Not trying to be mysterious. He is working through some soreness, but he is doing a nice job. He is close.”
On what makes offensive line coach Bill Callahan so special:
“He is very sharp. He is meticulous. He coaches his guys hard, but he is very fair. He has a great demeanor. He is excellent as a game planner. He has been through a lot and he has seen a lot as a coach so he provides great value there to myself and to the other assistant coaches. Just on a specific technique level, he and (assistant offensive line coach) Scott Peters do an outstanding job with our players in getting them better and utilizing techniques that get them better. He is obviously outstanding in that regard.”
On if he has asked Browns leadership for a bigger indoor field house, given practice is taking place inside today:
“No. We can get our work done in there. It is going to be a lot of bodies. It is going to be hot and humid, but we can get our work done.”
On if practice will be scaled back today, given it will be inside:
“Obviously, we would prefer to be outside if we can. Unfortunately, we have to go inside. The good news is we are working red zone today and we are working goal line today so those are smaller area drills, if you will. We have been in there before with the full team. We will space out as much as we can. The intensity ramps up when you are inside, there is shorter area and you are not running from one field to the other. We will definitely get our work done.”
On the outlook for S Grant Delpit, who sustained a hamstring injury during training camp after having a season-ending injury last year:
“He is working hard to get back out there. You can’t rush that process. When he is ready, he will be out there. Reps are a premium. We all know that. We talk about it all the time. There is no substitute for those reps so when he is ready, he is going to get a bunch of them. It is what you do with those reps that matters, as you all know.”
On C JC Tretter taking himself out of a drill yesterday but returning later and his thought process when seeing a player potentially get injured:
“You do not want anyone to get injured at any point. As we all are well aware and the players are well aware, injuries are part of this game. We try to do everything in our power to stay safe, protect each other and practice really hard while taking care of each other. They try to do everything in their power prior to practice and training wise to make sure they are ready. The stark reality is that injuries are part of the game. Fortunately, that was nothing serious for JC. When I see something like that happen, I wait for the trainer to come over and give me an update – got a good one in that particular play. Just have to make sure we get our work done and continue to take care of each other.”
On if it is good to have a competitive and heated practice as long as players are taking care of each other like yesterday:
“Definitely. It was hot out there. The guys when they were walking by me, I could hear their feet squishing because they have all the sweat in their feet. You get hot and it can get physical, but the guys understand there is a way we practice. We can get a lot of work done and take care of each other and be physical. You can fit up the runner and let him run. You can ball search. An offensive lineman can have a defensive lineman in position where in a normal game you would drive him into the ground, but you hold him up because he is your teammate, and it is vice versa. A safety could have a kill shot on a wide receiver coming over the middle, and you do not take that because it is your teammate. The guys understand how we practice and how important it is to get our work in and do it safely.”
On DEs Porter Gustin and Curtis Weaver:
“They are doing a nice job. The guys understand how we want to play from a technical standpoint and from a scheme standpoint. Those defensive line individual drills are competitive. You see the guys pushing each other. To see those young guys out there getting reps and doing a nice job is important. It is going to be important to do today and then do it under the lights down in Jacksonville so we can evaluate these guys.”
On if he will be calling offensive plays during the regular season:
“Yes.”
On if he is more comfortable calling plays in his second year in the system:
“I think that is kind of what it is. You have a year under your belt as an offensive staff, the communication that has to occur during a game and the communication that occurs between me and the defensive staff and the game management side of things. We do have a year under our belt. We know how we want to be better. We know how we can communicate better. Just talking about play calling, it does give me the opportunity to mention, we do it very collaboratively. I am very, very fortunate to have coaches on my staff who have called plays before and guys who are outstanding on game day in particular in making sure that I have all of the information that I need.”
On the first thing that pops into his head when thinking about G Wyatt Teller:
“I met his wife yesterday so I have to say something nice (laughter). Tenacious. Physical football player. Oftentimes is playing through the echo of the whistle. He brings certainly a physicality to that group.”
On how infectious Teller’s attitude and toughness can be for a team:
“A lot of teams have that guy that plays a style, and if you are fortunate, you have multiple versions of that player. It is a physical football game. To be able to have guys, particularly along the offensive and defensive line like we do, who play that physical brand of football, it just plays into who we are as a team. Wyatt is certainly part of that.”
On if QB Baker Mayfield will play this week at Jacksonville and other details on play time in the first preseason game:
“Baker is not going to play in this game. I will give you that. I will let you guys know tomorrow. I will give you a rundown tomorrow.”
On confirming Mayfield will not play at Jacksonville:
“Confirmed. Will not play.”