HC Kevin Stefanski (9.1.20)
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski:
On reports that LB Mack Wilson will not need surgery:
“I can confirm that. He is not going to get surgery.”
On the relief knowing Wilson will not needing surgery and likely will return at some point this season:
“With all of our guys, you hate to see them go out and then you hope that it is always good news. When they do go out and (Senior Vice President of Player Health and Development) Joe (Sheehan) sidles over to me and whispers in my ear, I always hope it is good news. This is a good development for Mack.”
On if there was a greater concern for injuries following a virtual offseason program:
“We were very mindful as we put the plan together about that very sentiment and wanted to make sure that we did this safely and had an acclimation period. Also, we fully recognize that injuries are part of this game.”
On goals for this week of practice prior to the first regular season week of practice:
“We wrapped up install last week so now we are really streamlining our systems on offense, defense and special teams. Now that we are a month into it, we have a pretty good handle on what our players are good at and what they can handle. On offense, defense and special teams, we will start implementing some schemes that we think could be good for us in the first couple weeks of the season.”
On it being a tough year for undrafted rookie free agents and if undrafted rookie free agents have stood out during camp, following a virtual offseason program and no preseason games:
“I will not single anyone out, but I will just tell you we do miss those [preseason] games from an evaluation standpoint. It is our job to evaluate them in individual period, in seven-on-seven and team periods. We feel pretty confident that we are getting a good evaluation on all these young guys, but they are at a disadvantage without those games.”
On if LB Jacob Phillips has improved throughout training camp and is someone the team can rely on early in the season:
“Jacob, he runs around and he wants to see ball, get ball. I think he is built athletically to go do that. Like every other rookie at every other position probably with every other team, it is not perfect. There is a growing period to this, and I think he has made strides each and every day he has been out there on the grass.”
On TE Harrison Bryant being voted the Maurice Bassett Award winner for a standout rookie training camp performance:
“Harrison has done a nice job. To his credit, he really, really is a diligent worker, a student of this game. We moved him around the formation and moved him to different positions, and he has not missed a beat. Pleased with where he is and congrats to him on that award.”
On C JC Tretter’s status, his rehab and if the team expects him to play Week 1:
“He is progressing. I think we really want to use every single one of these days to our advantage. The prudent thing would be to wait until next week to really check in to say whether he is going to make it to that first game or not. I am really worried about him today more so than next week.”
On if Tretter could return to the practice this week:
“We will see.”
On the state of the Browns at this point and player leadership throughout a unique training camp:
“It has been unusual for all us and certainly for all the 32 teams, but I think we have the right makeup in our locker room. I think that the leadership from a bunch of the guys on the field and in the building, I have seen it. Pleased with where we are right now, and totally recognizing that we have a bunch more to do before we kick off this season.”
On if DE Myles Garrett and CB Greedy Williams practice today:
“We will see. They are truly day to day. We will take it as it goes.”
On if Garrett’s status as day to day continues to be ‘in an abundance of caution’:
“Yes.”
On if anything stood out positively from Sunday’s practice film that may not have been seen live:
“Yeah, I think we played mostly penalty free on either side, which was good to see. We have been really harping on that a lot without having the [preseason] games and without having officials right now. That is something that I thought was good. Like every practice, there are so many things that we can get better at. I thought putting them through some of the situational things was good so that we can talk through some of our adjustments and some of the substitution things that happen in the course of a game. All of that was really good work, and I think we will kind of double-down on that this Friday at the stadium, as well.”
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