HC Kevin Stefanski (8.19.20)
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski:
On LB Mack Wilson’s injury status:
“Unfortunate injury there for Mack. I feel for him. I talked to him last night. I really do not know the extent and how long this will be, but I will just make sure we defer to the medical staff.”
On what players can fill in if Wilson is out for an extended period of time and if the Browns will look to sign another LB:
“I go right down the roster and just kind of tell you the next man up. Like we talked about this group before, I think there is a lot of good youth out there and I think there are some really athletic players, and we are excited about those guys. Do not feel good about the injury to Mack and feel for him, but at the same time, that is what happens in this game, and it opens up opportunities for others. I would not necessarily say one person over the other at this moment. To the second part of it, (Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager) Andrew (Berry) and his staff are looking at every position every day so that is something that they will work through.”
On the next step to determining Wilson’s injury status:
“I would say we are just waiting on the full extent from the medical staff.”
On other notable injury updates:
“No real updates. Nothing of note.”
On if any injured players will be returning to practice:
“Not today.”
On if the team has calculated how much each practice is worth percentage-wise comparable to the normal amount of offseason and training camp reps:
“We did calculate the reps, and what we found is without those preseason games, you are not traveling the day before so you are not having a quick walkthrough getting on an airplane. We are going to try to get this as close to a normal season’s worth of preseason reps without those games. I do not have the exact number for you.”
On if it fair to say one practice is worth more than a normal practice in the past:
“I was a communications major so I cannot with that (laughter).”
On if he knows if Wilson’s injury will require surgery:
“I do not. I would not speculate. I am going to wait till I get all the information so I really cannot can’t say.”
On if RB Nick Chubb has been back in the building since sustaining a concussion:
“Yes.”
On if Wilson was with the second team in yesterday’s practice and if it was a result of the hard tackle of Chubb:
“I am not going get into those type of things. I will kind of leave those internal.”
On if players are struggling to get a grasp of the offense, given the virtual offseason, or if the team is about where he expected them to be:
“I would say we are about where you think. You can have as many virtual meetings as you want, but until you physically get out there and do it, you are going to make mistakes. Our big thing is we like to identify and correct. Some of the best teaching moments are when someone does something wrong, and you get to teach off of it. There are great examples of that over the years. Really that is where you gain a lot of ground. That doing part is obviously critical to the learning part.”
On the perception that the Browns defense is ahead of the offense early in camp and if that is typical due to offensive install and other factors:
“I think that is generally the case, and I think all of us, going for years, that is always something that you hear being said. The only thing I would add to that is we are really teaching systems on either side so our coaches are not scheming against each other. I want our guys to compete every play, obviously, take every rep and try to win their one on one, but at the end of the day, we are truly teaching on either side and not trying to determine who is winning practice.”
On the importance of having strong bonds in the QB room:
“The best rooms I have been a part of, those guys really challenge each other but there is great respect among them in that room. I think we have a really strong room here, and it is led by (offensive coordinator) Alex Van Pelt. I think he does a great job with those guys. I think it is always better when you are competing and pushing each other but when ultimately you are in a place of respect and trying to make sure that everything you do is in the best interest of the team.”
On when the team will transition into more of a ‘preseason mode’ rather than the current ‘teaching stage’:
“What we will do is get through our install, if you will, on the offense and the defensive side. Then as coaches, we will huddle up and start to streamline our schemes as we work into the Week 1 of Baltimore. There is a rhythm to making sure that we are still building the foundation, making sure that everybody is sound in what they understand and what they are doing, and then we will pivot towards what we think makes sense from a personnel standpoint and from what the guys are really showing that they have a firm grasp of.”
On the emphasis on takeaways on defense:
“To talk about takeaways, it is definitely a huge emphasis of our defense. I think by and large, the guys are doing a very good job of ball searching and getting their hands on balls. That is what we preach. Offensively, you have to learn from every interception. You have to learn from every fumble. All interceptions are not created equal. I think there were some opportunities yesterday that we can definitely learn from. That is what we are doing here at training camp.”
On where QB Case Keenum can have an influence on QB Baker Mayfield:
“On the practice field, in the meeting room, in the weight room – all over. Case, I have been around him so I know him. He is a son of a coach. He loves this game, he wants to win and he wants to be a part of winning. I know that relationship is so important between the starter and the backup. I can tell you that he is eager to help this team win in any way he can, and that is supporting Baker in any way he can.”
On if he can see Keenum ahead of Mayfield in learning the offensive system because they previously spent time together:
“Because I spent time with him, that is where all these grays in my beard come from (laughter). Case has been in a bunch of different systems, and I think he can apply a lot of those learned lessons in each of those into this system. I think with all of our players that have come from different places, the terminology may be different, but the general philosophy sometimes is the same on a given play. Case is an example where he can give good color to a certain concept and how it has worked for him in the past, and that really goes for a lot of the veterans and for all of the coaches, as well.”
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