Justin Gilbert 'excited to be back there' on kickoff returns and 'would love' a shot at offense
BEREA, Ohio -- Justin Gilbert's phone started blowing up Thursday with messages that left him baffled.
"People were texting me saying, 'Congratulations on moving to offense,''' Gilbert said Friday. "I was like, 'What are you talking about?' I haven't moved to offense.''
But the coaches acknowledged Thursday that they'd be wiling to try it, and special teams coach Chris Tabor also christened the 2014 No. 8 overall pick his lead kickoff returner.
The new job description came just days after Gilbert excelled at the chore during Sunday's 30-27 loss in San Diego, returning three kicks for an average of 36.7 yards, with a long gain of 38. The 38-yarder, from 5 yards deep in the end zone, came with 7:26 left in the game and the Browns trailing 27-19.
It led to Josh McCown's 1-yard touchdown pass to Gary Barnidge and two-point conversion pass to Taylor Gabriel that tied the game at 27 with 2:09 remaining.
"It felt great,'' said Gilbert, who set the Oklahoma State record with six kickoff returns for touchdowns. "Something I've been waiting on since I got here, and finally got the chance to do it. It felt good being out there.''
Gilbert, who got only eight snaps on defense despite cornerbacks Joe Haden (finger) and K'Waun Williams (concussion) both being out, admitted that the kickoff returns energized him.
"Most definitely,'' he said. "Especially (special teams coordinator Chris Tabor) on the sideline, juicing me up before the game and all during the week. I was just excited to be back there.''
He's equally thrilled that Tabor handed him the full-time job.
"It makes me feel good,'' he said. "I feel I worked hard for it and just stayed with it, knowing my chance would come at some point during the season. Now that it's here, I've just got to take full advantage of it.''
But Gilbert stopped short of saying that the boost from kickoff returns would translate to more confidence on defense.
"It has nothing to do with cornerback to me,'' he said. "It's two different things. (But) I could say you could feed off the energy. If you get a big kickoff return and then go out on defense, you can say it plays a little bit.''
Gilbert, who ran a 4.37 on the 40 at the NFL combine last year, attributed his success on kickoff returns to his speed.
"I'm fast,'' he said with a smile. "Seriously, though, I've been on offense most of my life. My first year playing defense was my freshman year in college. I'm just used to having the ball in my hands.''
Gilbert explained that he was a primarily a quarterback in grade school and all through high school in Huntsville, Texas. He also played running back and receiver.
In fact, several colleges, including North Texas, recruited him as a quarterback. So if the Browns find a role for him on offense, something that offensive coordinator John DeFilippo said he's exploring, Gilbert would relish it.
"If it happens, I wouldn't back away from it,'' he said. "I would be happy to do it. Whatever way I can help out the team. That'll give me a chance to have a ball in my hands, which I like to do. So I would love it.''
Are they serious about using him on offense?
"Who knows?'' he said. "Hopefully."
That's not to say the top-rated cornerback in the 2014 draft likes offense better.
"Not really,'' he said. "Pretty much the same.''
But thanks to a hip flexor injury suffered on Aug. 18th that evolved into a hamstring problem, Gilbert has struggled to get on the field on defense. He's currently the No. 5 or No. 6 cornerback, behind fourth-round pick Pierre Desir and undrafted Johnson Bademosi.
"I'm just really trying to get 100 percent back healthy and earn my way back to where I want to be in the defensive room, but right now it's in the specials room and doing my job, making sure I win all of my matchups on special teams right now,'' he said. "That's the biggest key for me right now."
He acknowledged that "it did come at a crucial point of training camp. But I just prayed and stayed humble about the situation and I was able to heal faster than I thought I would heal. It feels good to be back on the field."
Despite the setback, Gilbert still believes he can live up to his lofty draft status.
"Without a doubt, most definitely,'' he said.
Asked if he's a cornerback, he said, "I'm an athlete. I'm a cornerback and if they want me to play anywhere else I can do that as well. I feel like I can do it."
Gilbert also discovered a natural ability to block on punt returns, springing Travis Benjamin for a 31-yarded that set up a fourth-quarter field goal.
"It's something I didn't really know I had in me until I was out on the field,'' he said. "I didn't know how fun it could be until you get to block for a guy like Travis, knowing it's a possibility he could take it to the house pretty much every time he gets the ball in his hands. That pretty much motivates you to want to block for him."
Gilbert spoke for the first time since Aug. 13 after the preseason opener against the Redskins, when he said his technique was flawless except for a blown coverage on the game's first play. The interview before that, on Aug. 4, he acknowledged that the coaches wanted him to "prove that I really want to be a part of this team.''
Gilbert vowed to do just that, but was set back by the injury and by an off-the-field road rage accident in mid-September that had the team concerned about his well-being.
"That was just a big accident,'' said Gilbert. "It was a bonehead decision on my part."
Gilbert's teammates, who have watched him work hard to overcome his issues, are happy that he's found a starting job on kickoff returns.
"It's huge,'' said safety Jordan Poyer. "Everybody on the team knows how gifted of an athlete he is. For him to go out there and show what he can do with the ball in his hands is huge. I'm excited for him and excited to see where he goes from there. We'll just try to keep getting him good returns. When he has the ball in his hands he can do a lot of things.''
Unlike Gilbert, Poyer believes the boost can carry over to defense.
"Of course,'' he said. "Any time you make a player whether it's on special teams, offense or defense, early in the games, especially it builds that confidence. For him having that confidence to be able to go in there and help our offense get good field position. It's also going to carry over to him playing defense.''
And who knows? Maybe even offense someday too.
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