Offensive Coordinator Travis Switzer (5.27.26)
So, five OTAs in, what do you see versus what would you like to see?
“We’re making good progress. We’re off to a good start. I think the guys are starting to get a little more comfortable with the system, which is great, you know, seeing exactly the different schemes and things we’re running. But yeah, we’re off to a good start. Long way to go, a lot of things to clean up, but we’re off to a good start.”
So you guys are at a good point now, so how do you feel the quarterback competition is going right now at this point in OTAs?
“Yeah, I think that both of those guys and really all of our guys are progressing very well. Very pleased in what we’ve seen in the growth. Like I said, a lot of is the familiarity with the system – getting a little more comfortable as we move on. But their progression, just in the short time that we’ve been so far is very encouraging, and we’re excited about that.”
Which of the quarterbacks is ahead at this point?
“I don’t know that we have somebody who’s ahead. Like I said, we’re pleased with both their progress, and all the guys are doing a nice job.”
When we look out there, we see one day Deshaun (Watson) is with the ones in the two-spot, then Shedeur (Sanders) was getting the ones in the two-spot. Is that how you guys have been kind of doing it? Like just mixing it up as you go along each day to make sure that both the guys are getting sort of the same chance for this job?
“Yeah, 100%. I mean, you guys see our practices. Half of it, we’re split in two fields anyway, so they get both reps which is awesome. And then it’s almost been dead even as far as rotating those guys with the groups. And, you know, getting familiarity with the receivers in each one of those groups is a big part of that too.”
What would you say is the chief benefit of the offense that you guys are installing? Do you get more points or do these guys score fast?
“Well, I mean, I don’t know there’s any secret sauce in the scheme or anything. I mean, it comes down to the execution, down in and down out. You know, extraordinary players often make the ordinary plays every time, you know, so that’s what we’re chasing right now and just finding out the details of all the different things that we’re doing, winning the down and executing the details consistently.”
I know Todd (Monken) wasn’t happy with the interceptions last week during the OTA practice, reporters were allowed. And we saw a couple today, so what’s your message when you see the ball bouncing off guys going to the other team?
“Yeah, I think it’s honestly what I just said. I mean, we got to make the ordinary plays all the time, you know, and that’s the consistency we’re going to be chasing out here in practice so that it translates on Sundays.”
Will we see over the next couple weeks when you guys go from installation to refining stage, or is that for later in the summer?
“Yeah, we still have some installs to get through. And now we’ve had a chance to go through everything at least with the vets in phase two. And then we come out here against the defense, and we kind of start over, so that’s been the idea. They’ve seen most of what we have once now we’ve been running it on air or against Coach’s defense. You get a chance to restart, you know, you drill down on the details as you go along and run it against the defense. We’ll do the same thing in training camp when we come back out.”
Todd’s made it pretty clear that he’s very big on players over plays, building the system around the players. With Shedeur and Deshaun, is there a lot of overlap with those guys or have you seen where, you know you’re going to do certain things with Shedeur and then you’ll do other things with Deshaun?
“Yeah, I think there’s a lot of overlap. They’re both athletic enough certainly to extend plays, be two play quarterbacks. We talk about scramble drill all the time. You know, something Monk says all the time – we’re not going to call a single concept more than a scramble will happen in games. So, I think as far as that’s concerned, there’s a lot of overlap there.”
Travis, we’ve only been out here twice, but we’ve seen Denzel Boston make plays. But how have you seen his progression in these two weeks here?
“Yeah, no, that’s been exciting, but he’s doing a great job. First off, just being able to come out here and line up and know the playbook snd then he’s showing up. I mean, it seems like every day he’s showing up, making a play, which is really great to see.”
When you have some nice plays being made out there by the offense, how disappointing is it to have those two-minute drill not go the way you probably would have wanted it to there at the end?
“Yeah, sure. I mean, we just started doing two minute this week and we’ll continue to grow there. Just stacking plays and execute.”
I didn’t see any drops by (KC) Concepcion today, but given his history, is there work going on behind the scenes for ball security?
“Yeah, certainly. I mean, the guy can catch the ball. I mean, he just needs to be consistent with his eyes. I mean, you saw the great catch he made down here. I mean, we all know he can catch the ball. It’s just about consistency, with his eyes and concentrating.”
As you guys have gone through OTAs, and as you guys are working through the different offensive lines, what have you liked in what you see from those guys, especially the rookies that you guys now have?
“Yeah, no, I like the makeup of that room. I really do. I think we have the right type of guys, that really carries over the whole offense. I mean, the guys have been really diligent, like I said, learning something new, you know, putting in the work outside of the building, which is huge. I think we’ve been doing that and that shows up. But the diligence and the makeup of that room is right. And we’ll find players up there that gel together. We’ll find the right five.”
With Spencer (Fano), what’s the plan to bring him along? I didn’t see him a ton with the ones today. Is it just to bring him along slowly because he is a rookie?
“Yeah, 100%. Yep.”
How has Taylen Green been coming along?
“Yeah, he’s progressing really well, too. I mean, obviously it was a few days ago. He scrambled out. You can see his athleticism, and you can see him to get more comfortable with the things that we’re doing. But yeah, he’s progressing nicely.”
How would you describe what you’ve seen from Jerry Jeudy so far this off season, obviously not coming off a season that he would like. But just what have you seen from Jerry?
“No, I mean, Jerry’s been great. I mean, you can see his quick twitch, his ability to separate. I think it’s something that we can utilize. And I mean, as far as a skill player’s production, there’s so many different variables that go into that. I mean, we weren’t here last year anyway, so, I mean, we’re not putting too much weight behind that.”
Zion Johnson was saying last week that one thing he noticed Monk (Todd Monken) is that he’s not afraid to stop a play as it happens to correct a mistake, as opposed to going back and watching it later. What is the value of correcting mistakes with that methodology?
“Well, yeah, I mean, we’re all out here – practice is a rehearsal. You know, we’re trying to get it right for the game. And that’s going to be even if were at the same place, I think for 10 years in a row, but certainly in year one as guys are learning things, you can’t expect the first time you do something to look exactly the way that you want it. So, let’s get it right and be able to move on.”
And then Todd has said, I’m sure you realized this, working with him over the years, that he despises bad football. I know no coach wants penalties, but how have you seen him sort of embody that philosophy over your time with him?
“Yeah, I mean, those are the things that are – he doesn’t get real excited about good things or, oh, a guy dropped the ball or whatever – I mean, we can fix those things. But the things that everybody watching knows is bad football is what’s going to get you fired up, and I think that’s what gets him excited.”
All the practices that we’ve seen and the clips that we’ve seen online, it looks like Deshaun is really doing a nice job with the explosives and the deep balls. Is that kind of your take on that?
“Yeah, I mean, and our defense is making it tough on us. You know, they’re playing aggressive with the safeties, and some of those shots are there. And, yeah, if they. If that’s what we’re going to get, then we have to be able to capitalize on those.”
In terms of Shedeur, what have you seen from his progress just on the field, from what you saw in film coming in?
“I mean, I’ll only speak to what I’ve seen when I wasn’t here last year. I’ll only speak to what I’ve seen over the last couple weeks, and his progress has been impressive. Just his ability to move through progressions. His feet are getting more urgent, and he’s ready to throw when he needs to more consistently. We can continue to grow there, but his progress has been impressive.”
# # #
***Visit the for materials provided by the Browns communications department, including media schedules, press releases, quotes, photos, media guides, rosters, depth charts and more.***