Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (8.19.22)
Opening statement:
“Looking forward to another good day out here with the Eagles. I thought yesterday was outstanding. A ton of good work yesterday. Today, a very similar schedule. We will be in the red zone today, which we were not yesterday and then we will have a two-minute (drill) at the end of this practice, a shorter two-minute so we are on the 25 going in so it is not going to be a long two-minute, but work that I know we need and I know they need. Looking forward to it.”
On LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s reference to QB Jacoby Brissett as ‘the shaman’ and Brissett having significant wisdom and experience despite only 29 years old:
“We have talked about this before. Jacoby, he is 29, but he has seen a lot in this game. Going back to his days in New England and his days in Indianapolis, he has seen a lot and that is the NFL for quarterbacks as starters, as backups and those type of things. I do think he is able to impart wisdom as a ‘shaman’ to some of those young guys.”
On if QB Joshua Dobbs could get more reps today or if the practice reps are pre-scripted:
“With all of the young guys, I think you will see that will continue to come over the couple of days and weeks.”
On confirming that Brissett will not play Sunday against the Eagles:
“Yes.”
On if DE Myles Garrett is back at practice today:
“He is back, and he will practice, yes.”
On T Jedrick Wills Jr.’s status, given Wills did not participate in the final period of practice yesterday:
“Just had a play there and had to pull himself out for a little bit, but he is good.”
On the distribution of reps between QBs and working in different OL:
“We are working guys. We just work guys in different spots.”
On if QB reps will be split evenly between Dobbs and QB Josh Rosen during Sunday’s game against the Eagles:
“I think we will see when we get there. Having those conversations now with the coaches.”
On if Dobbs’ is definitively Brissett’s backup QB or if there will be competition for the role:
“I think everything is a competition. All of these players are earning their role. Josh Dobbs is farther along because he has been with us [longer] than Josh Rosen, but everything is a competition.”
On the significance of seeing Dobbs and Rosen play a large portion of Sunday’s preseason game against the Eagles as it relates to evaluating Brissett’s eventual backup QB:
“I think it is great, and I think Jacksonville was great. We got to see both of those guys operating, getting us in and out of plays, getting the ball in guys’ hands and just moving the offense along. Any exposure that you get with those guys is valuable.”
On the best takeaway from yesterday’s joint practice with the Eagles:
“You look and the reason that you choose a team like the Eagles is they have a different scheme than us. When you get to this point in training camp, our offense has seen our defense quite a whole lot and vice versa. I think it is important as you get into game-planning mode and those type of things, you have to go against a different front. The Eagles have different fronts, and they have different coverages. On the other side, they have a very different run scheme and different pass concepts so you get to a 7-on-7, and our defense is defending concepts that they have not seen to date.”
On how Brissett’s demeanor and confidence has helped him during training camp:
“I think that is his personality. I think he is very authentic. I do not think he changes day to day, whether he is getting 100 reps or zero reps. He just goes about his business.”
On WR David Bell’s performance yesterday and Bell’s performance since sustaining an injury:
“Young player. Coming along. He was out there for a little bit with that injury. He had a false start and dropped a ball, but he also made a couple of plays. He is just a young player and needs more reps.”
On Brissett’s personality and how he carries himself:
“He is very much himself. Kind of talking about Jacoby earlier, he is himself, and he is not a very loud, boisterous guy, but – you used the word – he is thoughtful and he is very, very intelligent. I think the players naturally respect him for who he is as a player in this league and what he has made of his career to date. He is an established pro so the guys certainly respect him. I think what he does is he works and he does not say much when he works, and I think the guys really see that day in and day out.”
On the Browns not seeming different and being ‘even-keeled’ and ‘unfazed’ after learning about QB Deshaun Watson’s suspension yesterday:
“We have talked about this before. Our players come in here, and we have a job to do and we have work to do. I know that on the outside it may not seem like that at times, but for us in here, we really worry about what is going on inside our walls and on this practice field.”
On if he sent a message to the team that fighting would result in being taken out of the joint practices, given Brissett joked earlier that he would not get the first team reps if he got into a fight:
“I have threatened them a few different ways (laughter). I don’t expect Jacoby to do that.”
On if the Browns and Eagles will get FG reps today:
“We are. For you – just for you (laughter).”
On who ultimately will decide if P Corey Bojorquez or P Joseph Charlton will win the job:
“Ultimately, (Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager) Andrew (Berry) and all of us will at the end of this have those types of discussions at every position but particularly at punter, they are doing a great job both of those guys. I think both of them are NFL punters and both of them should be punting Week 1. That is a good problem to have.”
On K Cade York:
“I think you guys will get to know him better. He is very intelligent. He has a great way about him. He does not get too high and does not get too low. His teammates really like him. I think that is just kind of how he carries himself around the building.”
On the goals for Sunday’s preseason game against the Eagles, given most of the starters will not play in it following joint practices:
“It is a great opportunity. We are not playing the starters, but we are playing a lot of guys who are fighting for their football lives, so to speak. Excited to see those guys go out and perform. We talked about it earlier, it is reps out here on the practice field, it is reps in the game field and everything they do we are evaluating, and they know that so it is a very competitive environment.”
On if there are any long-term concerns about DE Chase Winovich not being out there:
“No.”
On his message to people who point to Brissett’s record as an NFL starting QB as an indication of his abilities:
“I do not really have many messages to people outside this building. I just kind of focus on what we are doing here.”
On if the Browns have established their desired culture or if he ever has to reinforce the culture with the team:
“I know ‘culture’ is that word that gets thrown around a lot. It is just people. I think we just have the right people.”
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