DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum camp stuff 2016

I didn't realize the browns signed an agreement to stay in Berea through at least 2028 (and possibly 2040) ... good move

I just hope they can win the AFC North sometime in those years.

Pett only did his coaching during those 15 minute Q&A's. He'd prod his coaches and players in front of reporters, but never to their face. He wasn't grumbling.

Browns Training Camp 2016: Day 1 Clips and Quips
By Joe Ginley



As quickly as it came, day one of the 2016 Cleveland Browns training camp went.

The preseason started with a bad omen when inclement weather led the Browns to close the practice, leaving some fans to depart disappointed. Though soon after the practice was closed, Mother Nature cooperated and allowed the Browns to practice outside.

As our fearless leader Chris Pokorny explained today, every day of camp, we will have a training camp report (you can find today’s here). A new training feature we’re trying out is “Clips and Quips” from media availability sessions after practice. We’ll be testing it out, so feel free to leave feedback in the comments section below.

Each time, I’ll start with Jackson and move onto the players. You can find the full transcript here, and the player quotes and transcripts here.

Hue Jackson

Jackson liked the energy and enthusiasm from his players. Overall, the new head coach felt day one was a success.
“It wasn’t a great first day, but an overall good first day. What I’m anticipating is when our guys come out tomorrow, chomping at the bit, to get after it on Day 2. We have got a long way to go. I’s just the start, but I was excited about our guys’ energy. Again, it started yesterday with the conditioning test. I thought our guys did a great job, and then it kind of came over to the first day of practice. We have got a long way to go, but I’m excited about the group and I think they’ll work their tails off.”

Jackson quickly brought up the subject of turnovers. He brought up the subject, without prompting, in the third sentence of his presser:
As an offense, we have got to do a better job of taking care of the ball. Obviously, the defense did a great job of getting it out. That is going to be one of the things that I preach to our football team about. It’s one of the keys to victory. On defense, we have got to take the ball away. On offense, we can’t give it away.

Due to the absences of Armonty and Desmond Bryant, Jackson said the Browns will try to help rookie Emmanuel Ogbah become a 5-technique defensive end.
“We’re going to try a little bit of everything. We’re going to put our best players out there on defense. Obviously, we are going to try him there. We’re going to put him back at outside linebacker. We’re just trying to find a lot of different combinations now that (DL) Des (Bryant) is going to be down to see if we can put our best guys out there. If he gives us something there, then it’s going to help our football team.”

The local media criticized Robert Griffin III in comparison to Josh McCown, but Jackson seems all-in on RG3. The new Browns quarterback is the same player physically as he was during his breakout rookie year, says Jackson.
“He is [as athletic.] I know people have questioned where he is physically. I don’t see that. I think he’s still Robert Griffin, the same guy that came out in 2012 but just wiser. He’s been through a lot of different systems and a lot of different things, and I think he’s growing by leaps and bounds. We still have a ways to go.”

Christian Kirksey

An interesting new feature the Browns are trying out is a “Training Camp Diary” with linebacker Christian Kirksey. The Browns unveiled the first video today.

Kirksey seems to feel good about where he’s at both physically and mentally, thanks in part to the “best cafeteria in the league” (I can confirm — it is a nice place to eat).
“I felt great running, I’ve been working out this whole offseason. My body was ready for it. Past it now. Then, we had meetings and our first walk-through. This morning, I woke up ready to get after it. It’s good to be back with the fellas ... The coaches have been active with us, it’s all positive energy, some of our key players came back, we’re ready to get it started.”

Gary Barnidge

Most of Barnidge’s quotes were short, but the tight end did mention one interesting point: The versatility of the role of the tight end in the Jackson’s offense.

“We’ve done everything. Everybody has been everywhere, and that’s the great thing about it because you never know what’s going to happen. It just keeps everybody on their toes.”

Robert Griffin III

The new Browns’ QB seems to be getting a grip of the offense. From what Griffin has said, the Browns are far along in learning the playbook.
“I just feel like we were all going out there working to get better – master the system, master the language of our system. It’s good being in the meetings. Thus far, you can see how much guys are recalling and how much more advanced we are already on the field at this point. We’re diving deeper into the playbook and getting to mix things up a little bit more.”

Much has been made of Griffin’s relationship with Josh Gordon, and the talk has a solid basis. Griffin has never been a mentor for a player who has been through as much as Gordon.
“I think my role with Josh is no different than my role with every other guy on this team. It’s to be a leader. He’s got a lot to prove. We all have a lot to prove. Most of that proving has to do with to ourselves, to our owners, to this organization, to our fans. Josh is a great player. Everyone knows that. He’s made the mental decision to come back and give it his all. I’m glad he considers me a big brother, someone he can lean on. That being said, we’re looking forward to him helping this team win.”

Joe Haden

The veteran cornerback showed optimism for a timely return. However, Haden did not give a solid timetable.
“I’m feeling good. I just finished getting a little bit of work in. My ankle is feeling a whole lot better, and we’re making progress ... I still don’t have a timetable. I’m ready whenever. Me and the trainers, we have a nice schedule working out so whenever they say I’m good to go, I’ll be good to go.”

Cody Kessler

The rookie quarterback worked with guru Tom House over the summer. From what the USC product said, the summer was quite productive.
I worked with everything we do in our playbook. Went out there and called our plays out and ran them. Just did everything I could without actually getting live practice to simulate a practice. Kind of doing all the drills we do out here and doing everything – throwing with Tom and throwing with some wide receivers and throwing with some other guys. I think the biggest part for me was – the throwing was great and all that – but the mental side of it, studying the playbook, studying the playbook, starting studying defenses, as well, and getting ahead in that was my biggest part.”

Josh McCown

The old man of the Browns’ quarterback room is preparing to be the starter this season. Whether or not that’s the case, McCown didn’t sign a contract just to hold a clipboard.
“The reps will go how they go. We’ll see today and then every rep that I get, I’m going to play as if I’m the starter. That’s the thing really and truly in competition for us, and as long as I’ve been around, the guys who stay in the league and around, they play that way. They play as if they’re the starter even when they’re not, and if they’re the starter, they play as if someone’s trying to take their job. They compete. You never really walk to the line of scrimmage and go, ‘Yeah, I’m probably not going to be the starter so I’m going to throw an incompletion this time.’ Your mindset is always ‘I’m going to play as best as I can on this rep.’ ... That’s how I go about it and again because I have to be at my best because we’re competing. Ultimately, that’s going to draw the best out of Robert and (QB) Austin (Davis) and (QB) Cody (Kessler) and vice versa for them and to me. That’s the idea. That’s the environment that Coach Jackson has provided for us, a competitive environment and we’ll go about it that way. Hopefully, that leads us to the best quarterback room we can have.”

Alright, folks, that’s all for the first day of Clips and Quips for the first day of training camp. Feel free to leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below.

http://www.dawgsbynature.com/2016/7/30/12330962/browns-training-camp-2016-day-1-clips-and-quips

Nate Ulrich ‏@NateUlrichABJ 2m2 minutes ago
#Browns drafted Emmanuel Ogbah 32nd overall as OLB but he worked with D-line in individual drills, played DE in team, stretched w/ DL today

right now the Ogbah moving to "DE" is a non-story to me

Hands were an issue for both.

Well............it was just one play for each. No big deal. I just mentioned it because there were some concerns about Coleman's hands before the draft and Pryor never really was a receiver.

I also mentioned Coleman's route running because that was a question mark before the draft. Those two clips were pretty impressive. He made quick cuts and chopped his feet nicely on the out. He wasn't really pressed, though. Wonder how he'll do against press coverage when there is actual contact?

Not saying you will agree, but I think I clarified his position for this year.

Phil Savage ‏ @ SeniorBowlPhil

Look for Brown's Coleman to have a Vertical Route Tree (hitch,hook, post, takeoff) W/rest running the short and intermediate.

Third year players rarely just switch positions.

Another rainy day in Berea characterized day two of the Cleveland Browns’ 2016 training camp.

The rain kept the fans away and pushed practice indoors, where the team seemed to have a productive day.

Just like yesterday’s introductory Clips and Quips piece, we’ll start with head coach Hue Jackson and move onto the players’ quotes. You can find Jackson’s full transcript here, and the full player transcripts here.

Hue Jackson

Similar to yesterday, Jackson began his press conference by calling the practice a positive one. The new head coach seems to like his team’s energy.
“I thought it was a spirited practice by our football team. I thought it was a really good one. I thought as a group, as a team, our focus was good. It’s disappointing that we can’t get out on the grass in front of our fans, and I really feel bad, but it’s very important also that we always take our fans into account, especially when there’s as much rain that was predicted and the thunder and the lightening. Our organization is about making sure that everybody’s safe ... Hopefully, we can get out there in front of our fans and perform.”

Plenty of attention will be paid to rookie wideout Corey Coleman, who is coming along well, according to Jackson. Despite a drop in the red zone, Coleman showed speed and skill, particularly on deep routes.
“He’s stacking good days together. He’s just getting better. I give a lot of credit to (senior offensive assistant) Al (Saunders) and (offensive quality control/assistant wide receivers coach) Bob Saunders ... I give a lot of credit to our quarterbacks because I think they really spent a lot of time with him getting him to understand the pro game. Then obviously, I give a lot of credit to him. He’s a talented football player and that’s why we drafted him where we did. I have high expectations for him and he has for himself.”

Tomorrow begins the hitting portion of camp. Jackson believes in having physical camps with hitting and tackling, so the Browns will really get to work tomorrow. This is a really interesting quote — pay attention to his piece about having an identity.
“It’s just how I feel. We are going to hit, but there’s a thing called tackling, too. I think we’re going to bump into each other quite a bit. First day in pads, it’s going to happen. I’m looking for a team that’s very relentless and that goes after each other. As I told our players, I have to find out who we really are, what’s going to truly be our identity. One thing we talked about last night is all the really good football teams in the National Football League, they have an identity. We don’t want to wait to find out what our identity is. We have got to establish it now. You only establish that by grinding a little bit. We need to be a gritty group. We’ve had two good days. Obviously, I also recognize that our players are getting a little tired because we’re pushing them pretty good. They have got to come out and do it again.”

Unlike past regimes, Jackson will allow “everything” during the “siren” periods of contact. Tomorrow should be interesting.
“Yes [it will include tackling to the ground]. No, we won’t hit the quarterback ... We won’t touch the quarterback, but everybody else can go on the ground. That’s OK. I even went on the ground today. That ground is hard in there. I said it a while back and I think our players understand. We’ve talked about it. In order to become a really good football team, we have to play football. Football is blocking and tackling, and the only way you get better at those things is doing them. We’ll do them in a situation to where they don’t know – I’m being very honest – but at the same time, I think they understand that we’re also trying to take care of each other. They know that they need to improve their skill that way and we need to become a hardened football team so we’ll set on that march tomorrow.”

Each day of camp has featured a position change, as the Browns tried Emmanuel Ogbah at defensive end on Friday and Pierre Desir at safety on Saturday. Jackson is not afraid to experiment.
“We’re going to try to find a place for a lot of guys and see if maybe they are a little better here than they were there. That’s really important for our football staff is trying to improve guys and put them into position so that they can have success. He’s one of our guys we drafted. We like him. He’s long, talented, but maybe we might find a different area where he’s better suited to play. He has cover skills because he’s played corner quite a bit, but boy, to see him go in there and play safety, too, is exciting to me because he gives us a different element back there.”

OT Shon Coleman

After missing some offseason workouts due to injury, the rookie tackle is healthy. Coleman spoke during his media availability about learning from the best, Joe Thomas.
“I think the No. 1 thing is taking care of your body. He’s a guy, 10 years in the league, you can learn a lot of information from him working on things like flexibility, mobility and things like that. That’s something that’s had a positive effect on me and something that I worry about every day.”

LB Demario Davis

The new Browns’ ‘backer seems to like his new coach. It seems the middle linebacker is meshing well with the coaching staff and his teammates.
“Just his intensity, his intensity and his drive for success, it’s contagious. You can just see it around the building and in the community. There’s a great feeling around here. That’s what you have got to have. He’s raising our expectations, raising the standard. When you have that, you have a chance.”

RB Duke Johnson

Jackson has made it clear that the Browns will run the ball to open the deep pass. So, it’ll be important to have a physical run game, which Johnson fully realizes.
“We’re looking forward to game-in, game-out just being physical. That’s something that Coach wants from everyone, starting up front with pads on everybody just being physical. I believe if we’re all physical and we all do our job, we have the potential to. It’s just about all doing it at the same time.”

OLB/DE Emmanuel Ogbah

The loss of Desmond Bryant opened a big hole at defensive end, one Ogbah realizes he may have to fill. The rookie out of Oklahoma State has been working over the offseason to become flexible, as he may play at either end or linebacker.
“I don’t mind doing both because I’m going to be dropping [into coverage] and I’m going to be rushing, too, so it’s good to have that flexibility. Again, now that (DL) Des (Bryant) went down, they’re going to need me to step up and play some ... The whole summer, I was working on dropping into coverage because I was playing outside linebacker so now that makes me more flexible since I know how to drop now. I’m just ready to play whatever position they put me at.”

LT Joe Thomas

Enjoying a veteran day off, Thomas didn’t have to do much on Saturday. The star tackle still had plenty to say, though, talking at length about Jackson’s passion on offense and how the head coach will work directly with each offensive position group on every play. However, the most interesting part of his presser might have been his quote on Robert Griffin III.
“Robert has been doing really good. I’m no quarterback guru, but you’ve seen the growth that he’s already experienced just from the beginning of OTAs to where we are right now and he’s a natural leader. I think that’s what you need as a quarterback from a tangible standpoint. Everyone knows how talented he is as an athlete and throwing the ball and I think the one thing that maybe guys didn’t know about that have been really impressed with him so far is his work ethic, his intelligence, the way he prepares and he studies just like the great quarterbacks in the game right now. You put all those things together and you put a guy like Hue Jackson in his corner, and I think he can have an excellent season.”

Those are confident words from Thomas.

Tomorrow begins the hitting, and thus the interesting part of camp. Hopefully the Browns can have a productive day and avoid any serious injuries.

http://www.dawgsbynature.com/2016/7/30/12334526/browns-training-camp-2016-day-2-clips-and-quips

j/c

Any word on how Jamar Taylor looks? I just saw a short line at the end of an article that he was running with the 1s.

But I do like reading the positives on Coleman.