Passing Game Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach Chad O’Shea (8.6.24)
What did you see out of Jerry (Jeudy) in his first practice there on Sunday that you hadn’t seen to this point from him?
“Well, I think it’s what we really, the most important thing is what we did see that we really liked in him prior to him being here, and that’s his versatility. You know, he was able to function inside, for us and make a play on a choice route, and then he jumped outside and was able to produce on a vertical route down the field. So the versatility is one thing that obviously we knew about that showed up on the field in his first few days with us. And then I think that what we didn’t see, because you can’t see on tape, is his ability to function mentally. He was able to handle a lot of volume, which is great with a person of his physical skill set to match that with the ability mentally to move around and play different positions will be great benefit to us as a team and to him personally.”
Chad, there are rumors out there that the Browns might be trading here for Brandon Aiyuk, and I’m not going to ask you about him personally, but how difficult is it to bring a guy in a month before the season starts and get him up to speed?
“Yeah, my focus right now truly is on the guys that are here on this team. And I’m going to say this, the group that we have right now has worked so hard, both in the offseason and then so far in training camp, of doing the things we’ve asked them to do. They’ve been able to really stay in the present and really work to improve every day. It’s a very enjoyable group that I’m working with at the Cleveland Browns.”
Sorry if you were asked this already, but how have you seen Cedric Tillman kind of tackle learning? Coming into this year, taking some of the things he maybe struggled with a little bit last year even, and apply them so he’s ready for the year, too?
“Yeah, I feel like Cedric has really attacked the offseason. He’s done the same here in training camp. He’s really worked so hard to, again, learn the offense, to be better fundamentally. You can see a player in year two how he’s improved. But he’s improved because of how he’s approached it. And I can’t say enough about his work ethic and what he’s done to try to improve every day. I mean, we really have tried to put the focus with the receivers of just, let’s be day-to-day, stay in the present and really work to improve daily, and he’s a great example of that.”
You said one of the things that he’s (Tillman) talked to you about is his consistency. How did you see him just grow in that consistency and what you guys talked about in building that?
“Yeah, that was a difference in his rookie year, there were some things that he did really well and then there was a lack of consistency at times, but that’s what he’s really working hard on right now, to be a more consistent player in all areas. We asked the receivers to do so much, whether it’s in the run game, it’s in the pass game, even in some protection that we’ve asked Ced (Tillman) to do. And I believe that he’s done a great job of embracing that role and being more consistent in all those areas.”
How about David Bell? How’s David coming along this year?
“David’s had a great training camp so far. I mean, the word that always comes with David, is the word dependability. He’s been dependable in various roles for us. He’s able to handle multiple roles for us in different ways. He helps our team. So, I can’t say enough about David Bell. And again, when I say the word David Bell and his name, dependability comes right with that.”
What have you seen with Michael Woods, obviously coming off the unforeseen injury last year and him getting back out here and having a chance to compete?
“Yeah, I see a player in Mike Woods that, you know, had the injury last offseason. A player that’s moving past the injury. You know, I think both physically and emotionally, I think one of the things about coming back from an injury like that is not only physically, you need to go out there and have the confidence you can do it, but most importantly is emotionally and mentally that you feel confident that you recovered from the injury, and I’m seeing that in his game. Mike’s always been somebody that has really strived both at the line of scrimmage and the top of the route, his ability to separate, and you’re starting to see those things like we knew Mike before the injury.”
Not to go down the roster but, Jamari Thrash, what have you liked from him as you’ve gotten to see him out on the field and get to know him as a person?
“Yeah Jamari, we knew he was a very instinctive player that brought some value inside as well as outside, and that’s what we’ve seen so far on the field and in the meeting rooms. He’s been able to kind of function in a couple different roles for us, whether he’s inside or we choose to play him outside. He’s done a real good job. And I think, like all rookies, he’s really embracing just improving and learning from some veterans in the room that are a great example to him. Not only on what the plays are and how to run the routes, but how to be a professional daily. And he sure has been very enjoyable to coach so far. And he’s working hard and he’s a player that I think is getting better every day.”
Chad, I know that Amari (Cooper) has been around the block a while, but his name’s linked to these reports about the Brandon Aiyuk trade. Do you have to talk to him at all or does he sort of understand the business side of things?
“Yeah, I mean, I think our team in general has done a great job here under Kevin’s leadership of just ignoring all the outside noise. I really believe that. You think back to some of the challenges that we’ve had in recent years or some of the things that have been outside of our building. Like everybody has. Every team goes through that, where you have noise outside the building. This team, at the Browns, has done a great job of ignoring that noise and just focusing on the job at hand. And today is to have a great practice and to have great walkthroughs and great meetings. And I can speak specifically for the wide receiver group, their focus and their attention to detail and what they’re bringing to the table as far as their work ethic every day, has been outstanding.”
Chad, we always hear about Amari’s leadership in the locker room, we hear it from the players. What has he done to this young receiver corps this camp, especially with, Ced (Cedric Tillman) coming back year two, to (Jamari) Thrash and others?
“Yeah, I mean, we all know Amari on the field. We can see that; you can see it on tape, you can see it on TV. But what people sometimes don’t realize about Amari, because he doesn’t say a lot, right? Is how strong of a leader he is for our team and specifically our younger players that are in the room. You take a rookie like Jamari Thrash, who has the opportunity to learn from Amari, and Amari is very willing to provide his insight, and not only, again, the way in which you do things on the field, but maybe more importantly, that for development of a rookie player is how to do things off the field, how to conduct business in the meeting rooms, how to build relationships with both your coaches, and the players and your teammates. So, Amari’s leadership is very strong despite not being at times a very vocal person.”
Chad, when you talk about asking the receivers to do a lot. Do you feel like this system is different than others where maybe other teams don’t ask their guys to do as much?
“Yeah, I really feel good about our system in place now because it takes players to be very multiple in their roles and that’s why we’ve really gone out and tried to find versatility in our receiver group because the more versatile they can be, obviously we can move them across the formation. We can do different type of routes with them where they might have a couple options on some of these routes. So it’s been very enjoyable working with coach (Ken) Dorsey and merging some of the things we’ve done here in the past that have been good with some of the new ideas and it’s been very refreshing that way, both for the coaching staff and the players.”
Chad, watching, like, some of the one-on-one matchups between your guys and the DBs, it definitely looks like some of the most competitive portions of practice. Just from the other side, like, how tough of a test are those defenders, Denzel (Ward), Martin (Emerson Jr.), giving your group?
“I just came in the room a couple days ago and I said, ‘This is awesome for us as receivers to be able to face the competition we are on a daily basis.’ I mean, you know, were able to do a lot of cross-work with our secondary here at the Browns, whether it’s a release drill after practice or working one-on-ones or obviously, once we get into team settings. Have a tremendous amount of respect for our defensive guys and our secondary, and what an opportunity that is for us to work against those guys. And they’re great teammates. Our defensive guys are great teammates. They share things that they might have seen in our route, ‘Hey, maybe do something different here, there.’ So that’s the one thing that not only are they good players, but more importantly that our defensive guys are great teammates to the receivers.”
When you guys are running these choice routes, how much does that put on the quarterback and receiver to make sure they read things the same way?
“Yeah, the choice routes, obviously you have, different choices. Whenever you have choices in anything in life or on the football field, you got to be on the same page and you have to base your decision and your choices off of various factors, right? So the quarterback and the receivers have to be on the same page, and it doesn’t happen just overnight. It’s a working progress. That’s why it’s been great not only on choice routes, but it routes in general. To see our group work so hard at The Greenbrier and then come back here to Berea and work so hard on the field to be on the same page on our route running and with the quarterbacks.”
I know there’s a featured guy for that, but, I mean, at any given time, do you have a number of guys running those routes on the same play?
“Yeah, I mean, there’s this offense right now is we’re given some flexibility on some of our routes to run different choices and have different options on the route. And, you know, most of our pass routes in general require a lot of detail and there’s choices in routes when you don’t have choices, you know, whether you have a press defender and you’re releasing on a conversion or you’re running the route. So that’s why we want players that can function mentally and be so good mentally and have strong mental and be able to function in multiple position roles. That’s why Andrew Berry and the personnel department have done a great job for us of going out and getting guys that fit what we’re trying to do; smart guys that are dependable, that are putting the team first, and, you know, some of those decisions on route running, you have to put the team first. You know, you might not want to hang a left when you trying to get open the other way, but, you know, you’re trying to get someone else open. So we have team guys in the receiver room, and I’m really proud of that.”
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