WR Odell Beckham Jr., RB Dontrell Hilliard and S Sheldrick Redwine (8.2.19)
Included below are select quotes from interviews with the following Browns players during today’s media availability:
- WR Odell Beckham Jr.
- RB Dontrell Hilliard
- S Sheldrick Redwine
WR Odell Beckham Jr.:
On playing in different positions in the offense:
“I have been doing this for a couple years now. Preseason is important to get timing down, and that is really going to be a decision for coach.”
On if sees chemistry developing with QB Baker Mayfield:
“Yes. Everything takes time. Everything that is great comes with patience and takes time. We are still developing. The best part about it is it is training camp. It is not the real season right now so we are all trying to get on the same page and get everything down. It has been a lot of fun working with (Head) Coach Freddie (Kitchens), Bake and everyone else. I am trying to just get better each and every day.”
On if he sees examples in practice of Mayfield and him being on the same page:
“Yes. A specific example I could not give you right now, but yes, it is there.”
On how he is feeling after the first week of practices, and the jelling of the team:
“I feel good. I feel very good to be in the position that I am in. I am very happy, and I am just trying to work to get better each and every day, whether it is the little things and trying to find and pick to get better at. Everything great takes time.”
On if the notion of QBs and WRs needing to study and learn each other’s tendencies and nuances is overrated:
“I do not know about overrated, but honestly, being on the same page is better than not being on the same page. It is just about figuring that stuff out. That is the easy stuff to talk about. That is football. That is the stuff that is above the Xs and Os that just comes with you just talking. Communication is the key to life. It is essential. If we did not like something or if I did something wrong, go ask him. If he needs me to run it a different way, we just say that and keep going. There are no egos here or anything here. We both are competitive people who want to win. When you have a guy like that, you never want to let him down. Just finding ways to get better really.”
RB Dontrell Hilliard:
On the opportunity to work with the first-team offense:
“It is a good feeling, but at the end of the day, I still have a job to do. I am still competing just like those guys, and at the end of the day, I am going to come in and do what I have to do, represent and show the coaches what I can do every time I step on the field.”
On if he feels like he is better this year than last year:
“I see the game more and learned more of the game. I spent time this offseason to kind of focus on the detailed small things and protection wise. Now, I can kind of see things before it happens and kind of assume what it is going to be before just going out and just reacting. I have a little knowledge of the game now.”
On if he was mainly relying on instinct and ability last year:
“You always are going to play on instinct and ability. At the same time, now I have understanding so I see certain fronts out there to recognize where my hole will be, instead of just going out pressing and pressing and hoping. Now, I know exactly where to be so it is a better chance for me to read and move to second-level defenders.”
S Sheldrick Redwine:
On getting an interception in practice this week:
“It felt really good. That was the first play during camp that I really was able to make a play on the ball without a tip. That felt really good grabbing that.”
On the Browns defense playing multiple three-S formations and if he fits into the hybrid S role:
“Definitely, but I am just trying to earn the trust of the guys in the locker room right now and earn the trust of my coaches, and do whatever the team needs me to do. If they want me in that position, they will put me in that position. Right now, I am just still learning and trying to earn trust.”
On if he feels his ability and interest in learning and contributing on special teams will help him stick with the team:
“Oh yeah, definitely. I never feel like you can learn enough. There is always something else you can learn. I always heard that when you first got here to the big stage, your first impact is going to be on special teams. I really prioritize that and learning extra special teams things for myself. A lot of stuff I did not from college that I get from being here learning it. That is something I prioritize, I am taking little steps and getting better every day.”
On areas he has improved most since coming to the Browns:
“Just a feel for the game, seeing different stuff. They have me doing different special teams roles that I did not do in college. In college on punts, I was a missile. Here I am like the quarterback of the punt team. I have to count how many are in the box and do all of that stuff, learning the counts and all that. I am taking on a new role, but I embrace it and try to learn off of it.”
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