HC Kevin Stefanski (8.4.21)
Opening statement:
“Good to see everybody. (RB) Tre Harbison yesterday suffered a concussion – unfortunate; it was an accident in seven-on-seven – he will be out.”
On the hit Harbison took in practice yesterday:
“Just kind of a freak thing where they collided. It was unfortunate. Talked to him this morning. He is doing fine.”
On what the Browns will be working on during practice today:
“Everything.”
On if the Browns will work on goal line today:
“No, not yet. We have a little bit more of our third downs going in. You will see a move-the-ball period at the end where we will get everybody off of the field and get used to substituting on offense and defense and they do not have their coaches next to them with the script and telling them what play is coming next. Going to challenge them a little bit mentally and physically in that regard.”
On recapping the team’s first day in pads yesterday:
“First of all, I would say the guys did a nice job of taking care of each other. I thought they practiced really hard and it was physical, but they did not take any kill shots and they helped each other. If a guy was in a precarious position, you do not finish him and those types of things. It is important that the guys understand how we practice and how we get our work in while taking care of each other. The red zone work was great. As you know, it is an important part of the game. It becomes tight-window throws. In the run game, the safeties are closer to the line of scrimmage so the blocking force becomes more difficult. There were some really nice moments from our defense playing really tight coverage down there, which is required.”
On if he ever does periods with live tackling to the ground during training camp:
“We will see. It is something that we talk about. We tackle every day in a drill setting, if you will, but we want to see where we are in the next few days before we make that determination.”
On if there will be full tackling periods during the team’s joint practices with the NY Giants:
“I will talk to (NY Giants Head) Coach (Joe) Judge about that.”
On LB Mack Wilson’s interception yesterday and Wilson’s shape to start camp:
“An outstanding play by Mack – elevated, went and got it and displayed great hands. He has been trying to get on goal line offense for a long time telling me about those hands (laughter). He came in great shape physically. I think he is running really well and is still powerful, and then mentally, I think he is just in a really good spot.”
On DE Jadeveon Clowney getting penetration and pressure consistently in yesterday’s practice:
“He has been disruptive certainly in the run and the pass game. He is a long athlete with power. He and (T) Jack Conklin, that is two pros going at each other. It is fun to watch. I think he is fitting into what we are doing and who we are. This is the first time at length he is around his teammates. I think he is assimilating well.”
On the importance of having many players who can be disruptive on defense:
“You want to pressure the quarterback. Sometimes they materialize in sacks and that is obviously the goal, but being around the quarterback, affecting the quarterback, affecting the throw and making him get to his check-down sooner than he wanted is a big deal. For our entire defense, we have a rush plan. It is about creating one on ones and winning those one on ones, but you have to rush together in order to have that plan have some success.”
On if the team tracks the number of times a Browns player disrupts a play but may not get a sack or QB hit:
“Yes, definitely. It is important to know the guys who are affecting the passer.”
On balancing QB Baker Mayfield wanting to be competitive with also teaching and learning, given Mayfield’s reaction during one period of practice yesterday:
“That is the point is you have to learn from every single rep that you get. That period in particular, I think the defense was outstanding – I really do. Guys were tightly covered. They did a nice job. Conversely on offense, someone has to make a play – someone has to shake free and the quarterback has to put it on the money in those tight windows. It is a great competitive drill, but I would give a hat tip to the defense.”
On if it is expected for the defense to be a little bit ahead of the offense at this point in training camp:
“That is the classic ‘the defense is always ahead of the offense [at this point].’ I do not know how true it is or is not, but I think both sides and both units are progressing.”
On evaluating success of run plays when the team is not doing full tackling:
“From the offense’s perspective, you are trying to make sure that the front is blocked up, are you assignment sound and is everyone getting to their responsibility. (RBs) Nick (Chubb) and Kareem (Hunt), they will finish the run regardless of if they were tackled five yards in the backfield. We also want them to be able to finish the run because we want the defense to ball search. We want to get 11 hats to the ball. We want guys poking and trying to pull that thing out and raking at it so that is part of working together. Let the runners run, fit them up, show that you are in position to make the tackle and let them run so the next guy can come in and get their ball-security work.”
On if the NY Giants’ fight in practice yesterday raises any concerns ahead of the joint practices in two weeks:
“No, I am worried about the Cleveland Browns.”
On his impression of Clowney off of the field:
“Jadeveon is doing a really nice job. I enjoy having him out here. He is a lively presence. He is a good teammate. He enjoyed practicing and enjoys running around. I see that from him. You mention the meeting rooms, he has been on point. He is trying to learn what we are doing and learn these techniques. He has been so far so good.”
On Clowney saying this is the healthiest he has been in his NFL career and if the team is managing his reps to help keep that the case:
“We will be smart with all of these guys, and Jadeveon is somebody we will be smart with as we continue along. He has worked really hard. He is in a good spot physically.”
On if the Browns have a timeline for when S Grant Delpit will participate in team drills:
“I think we will mix him, and I think he has been mixing in as we go. We will just bring him along at the discretion of the medical staff.”
On if Delpit’s timeline is based on rehab from the Achilles and that Delpit is not dealing with any other ailments:
“He is coming back from the Achilles. Just listening to the medical staff.”
On WR Donovan Peoples-Jones cerebral nature, if that manifests itself in football IQ and if it is unusual for that at the WR position:
“For sure, it does. No, I do not find it unusual for that position. There are a bunch of smart receivers. We have talked about Jarvis’ understanding of football. We have a young kid (WR) Anthony Schwartz who is really ahead of the curve when it comes to understanding ball. I have been impressed with that room in total. Donovan certainly is a guy who we knew last year would put a lot on his plate, and he was able to handle all of it.”
On how well K Cody Parkey has responded to a rough first day of training camp:
“He is doing a nice job. It is a body of work. The evaluation does not end today. It is a continuous thing. That goes for Cody and every single one of our players.”
On if CB Greedy Williams still needs to be cleared for contact:
“No, he is good to go.”
On if Williams will get more work today:
“Yes, he is doing fine.”
On LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s first day on the field:
“It is going to take time for anybody coming back and missing some time, but he is getting extra work in. It is hard for me to make any judgments off of one day so far.”
On if Williams will participate in team drills today:
“Yes.”
On some players not wearing shoes during walkthrough:
“It is basically do not be in cleats. It is either be in flips flops or socks or barefoot – I do not really care – or sneakers. The idea is just to slow the pace down. You can say walkthrough, and guys get competitive and they want to go fast. I just want to make sure we are smart when we are walking through and that we are truly walking through. Now, some guys have some interesting foot [wear] choices out here, but that is up to them.”
On the importance of doing push-ups with the them and his strong form:
“I am glad you noticed it (laughter). Whenever we have a competition for push-ups, I am losing no matter what. Whether the offense wins or the defense wins, I lose.”
On what he learned about LT Jedrick Wills over the past year after transitioning to LT:
“He has done a nice job. I was just to Jed yesterday about how it may be only one calendar year but just how much farther along he is right now, and that is just from a technical standpoint, from a comfort level, like you mentioned, and moving from right to left without the offseason without the preseason games so he is in a really good spot.”
On if the Browns were always confident in Wills’ ability to switch positions despite all of the adversity last season:
“We had a lot of confidence in him because of the mental makeup and because of the physical skills. We knew it was not going to be perfect early, and for 99 percent of rookies, it is not perfect early. There is a learning curve to how that goes, and we understand that.”
# # #