Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (8.16.22)
Opening statement:
“Last day of having fans out here. The support has been unbelievable, which we really should not be surprised from our fans. Every single day just having so many families out here and so may kids out here, it has been outstanding. Northeast Ohio, they love their Brownies, and we feel it when we are out here. I want to say a special thank you to all of the fans who came out today, the last couple of weeks or whatever it has been. Definitely appreciate their support.”
On the extent of C Nick Harris’ knee injury and the MRI results:
“I am not a doctor. I am not entirely sure.”
On if he has talked to Harris since the knee injury and how Harris is handling it:
“Yeah, he is in there now. I have spoken to him every day. It is hard when you are hurt. It is no fun. It is terrible. Everybody hates it. He is a positive person. He will get through this, and we will help him get through it.”
On if the Browns need to add a C following injuries to Harris and C Dawson Deaton:
“We work through all of those things. Again, to see Dawson go down, really unfortunate how it happened. Feel for him, as well, but with all of those things, we have to just work through it.”
On how WR Anthony Schwartz has responded in practice this week after Friday’s preseason game and what he would like to see from Schwartz this week:
“He has done a great job out here. He is very accountable to himself and his teammates. He is excited to get back to work. I think the big thing for any of us when we drop a pass, make a bad call or whatever it is, you have to move on. You can’t dwell on those type of things. I think he has done a nice job of moving on because that is part of being a receiver is moving past those type of plays.”
On if participating in the joint practices with the Eagles would be a good time for the ‘light to come on’ for Schwartz:
“I would not characterize it that way. I just think he needs to get to work. Like all of his other teammates, he needs to get out here and get some really good work, like we have talked about since the beginning.”
On if WR Mike Harley Jr. will be back at practice today:
“He will.”
On DE Isaiah Thomas’ status:
“The hand is going to keep him out for a few days.”
On if CB Denzel Ward will participate in team activities today or in joint practices later this week:
“We will see how it goes. He responded great yesterday so we will see how it goes today.”
On K Cade York being named the Maurice Bassett Award winner for the most outstanding rookie in Browns training camp, as voted by local media:
“I heard. Is that a first [for a kicker]? I go back to the spring. He came in and kicked really well in the spring. I think he works hard at his craft. That is really the big part for me with all these rookies, but Cade in particular was working hard every single day. There are days he does not kick where he is working on his body or he is watching the tape and those type of things. Just understand that all of these rookies while they may flash here and earn that distinction, they have to continue to work.”
On if it takes a while for a new K to earn confidence from his coaches and whether he needs to see York kick in regular season games to have ultimate confidence in him:
“To your point, I think all of our players have to have my trust – they have to trust me; I have to trust them. They earn that on the practice field and they earn that in the games, but that is something that really is continual throughout the season.”
On TE Harrison Bryant’s growth and development and the next level of Bryant’s game:
“Physical growth, since his rookie year, I think he has put on a lot of good weight. He has gotten stronger. He has always had a very, very good understanding of this scheme, how to get open and those type of things. I am looking forward to him having more opportunities this season. You can always tell when quarterbacks like throwing to a guy, that it means something. The quarterbacks like throwing to Harrison. That goes for a lot of guys, but in particular No. 88, they are comfortable throwing to him.”
On if Harris has had surgery on the kneecap to date:
“No.”
On if he knows whether Harris’ injury is to the patella or ACL:
“I do not. I do not know.”
On if it a tough decision to possibly play QB Deshaun Watson with some starters not playing or if it is too far off to tell:
“I would say just too far off.”
On if DE Myles Garrett is back to practice today:
“He is not back yet.”
On if he is concern about Garrett’s absence:
“No.”
On the impact if Garrett misses joint practices against the Eagles, understanding Garrett is a veteran and All-Pro player:
“I will deal with it. As you can imagine, deal with anything with our players day to day, but he will be back when he is back.”
On areas he is pleased with the team and areas of improvement at this point of training camp:
“I do not know how many coaches are happy during training camp. We are through installation, meaning we have put in a lot of our core plays. As you get into the preseason and practice versus the Eagles, now is the time where you hope that the scheme is mastered by the players and that the skill, the fundamental and the techniques continue to get better. I know it is cliché and I know it is coach speak, but you show up on that first game and typically the team that is playing with better technique has a good chance to win, particularly in the trenches. We are looking for our skills to continue to develop.”
On if the structure of the joint practices with the Eagles this week will be similar to last year’s with the NY Giants:
“Very similar.”
On how much the Browns coaches stresses not fighting the other team in joint practices:
“I have not talked to the team about that just yet. Listen, we did it last year. There are ways to practice real hard and compete and not waste time.”
On if there is an opportunity to have a greater emphasis on two days of joint practice for players to gain a stronger standing like CB Greg Newsome II did last year:
“That is a good question. I think they are two really solid workdays so there is going to be lots of volume there and opportunity for guys to take that leap, so to speak. Yeah, I think there is a chance of that. Our offense has seen our defense for three weeks and has seen certain coverages, certain pressures, etc. On the flipside, our defense has seen a lot of the same plays over and over and over again. It does give you an opportunity to run your plays versus another scheme that maybe does not know that it is coming. You get to see the guys maybe be in position to succeed a little bit more so than when the defense and the offense have gotten to know each other so well.”
On his relationship with Eagles Head Coach Nick Sirianni:
“I know Nick just over the years. Nick was a wide receiver coach, a quarterback coach. Just over the years hanging out at the (NFL) Combine and those type of things, but I do not have a past with Nick.”
On if there is an update on when Newsome will return to practice:
“I do not have an update.”
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