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Intriguing Browns tight end Darren Fells brings LeBron James’ size, hoops background
Published: August 2, 2018 - 10:47 PM | Updated: August 3, 2018 - 12:01 AM

By Steve Doerschuk

The Canton Repository
GateHouse Media Ohio

BEREA: The 2017 Browns too often got torched by tight ends, but don’t blame “Kirko.”

Linebackers coach Blake Williams said linebacker Christian Kirksey more than did his job.

“Kirksey’s stats as an isolated matchup player covering tight ends were honestly off the charts,” Williams said.


Strong-in-coverage linebackers do not scare new Browns tight end Darren Fells.

“Kirksey is good,” Fells said, “but he’s dealing with a guy who is 6-foot-7 and has a 7-foot wing span.” (Namely, the 270-pound Fells.)

Fells spent years as a pro basketball player trying to horn his way into the NBA. His attitude, size, athleticism add now experience add up to what he sees as a simple truth:

“I’m always open.”

Kirksey is more than 5 inches shorter and 30 pounds lighter that the gigantic Fells.

Meanwhile, Fells has made just 57 career catches (seven touchdowns) in the NFL, falling into a role as a blocking tight end with the Arizona Cardinals (2014-16) and Detroit Lions (2017).

There was no way to know he could play pro football in any role when he gave up on the NBA five years ago.

Yet, at 32 (he is the second oldest player on the offense) his NFL career might have just begun to roll.

He was an all-state tight end for Fullerton High School in California. He played only basketball in college, and after ending a career for UC-Irvine 10 years ago, he landed his first pro basketball job with the Leuven Bears in Belgium.

In the next five years, he played for teams in Finland, France, Mexico and Argentina. He got a sniff from the Minnesota Timberwolves, but it led nowhere.

More than a few NFL players confide that their favorite sport really is basketball. It is the other way around with Fells.

He missed his high school days of full-speed collisions, which is part of what made him Most Valuable Player of the Freeway League.

One of his favorite things in basketball was standing his ground and taking a charge. Fells, about the same size as LeBron James, imagines taking a charge from such an NBA freight train.

“In basketball,” he said, “I’d have to stand there and take it. In football, I get to use my hands.”

His brother, Daniel, was a perfect link to the NFL. In 10 seasons, Daniel was a tight end for the Falcons, Raiders, Bucs, Rams, Broncos, Patriots and Giants.

Darren also took a cue from a former Kent State basketball star who turned himself into a superstar tight end.

“Antonio Gates,” Fells said, “is a huge reference point.

“I kept hearing, if you’re going to hop into the NFL, tight end is your only shot.”

Fells impressed Bruce Arians and worked his way onto a spot with the Cardinals in 2014. With the Lions in 2017, he played all 16 games (13 starts).

During the Browns’ struggle to a 1-31 record in the previous two seasons, the tight end cast has included Randall Telfer, Seth DeValve and David Njoku, all unproven and in their early 20s. Fells became part of General Manager John Dorsey’s campaign to make sure no Browns position group is without a veteran.

Telfer has departed. It will be interesting to see how the Browns arrange playing time for Njoku (first-round pick in 2017), DeValve (second in receptions on the 2017 team, with 33) and Fells.

Fells’ contract indicates at least a commitment to keeping him on the roster. It is a three-year deal with $6.1 million guaranteed.

Fells convinced Dorsey he is a more-than-willing blocker. He looms as an upgrade in that area over Telfer, who started 14 of 16 games last year.

“My main strength is as a blocking tight end,” he said.

If the team asks him to expand his horizons as a receiver, he’s game.

“I feel I can catch anything that comes my way,” he said, his eyes lighting up.

Njoku was a first-round pick last year in what was supposed to be a tremendous tight-end draft, but he wasn’t Dorsey’s pick. Njoku had 32 catches in a choppy rookie year.

“David is an unbelievable talent,” Fells said. “I haven’t seen some basketball players jump the way he can.”

Tight ends coach Greg Seamon gave Njoku a passing grade Thursday.

“Occasionally, he’s had a day like the other day [several drops],” Seamon said. “It’s been better than it was a year ago. He’s trending in the right way.”

Meanwhile, Dorsey opted to pay a former pro hoopster who, at 32, might still have NFL upside.

https://www.ohio.com/akron/sports/browns...oops-background

j/c:

Deleted.

Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi accepts franchise’s challenge to earn starting job amid subtle position change
Published: August 3, 2018 - 2:21 PM | Updated: August 3, 2018 - 2:42 PM

By Nate Ulrich

Beacon Journal/Ohio.com

BEREA: Larry Ogunjobi’s phone started blowing up on March 10 after the Browns had agreed to trade fellow defensive tackle Danny Shelton to the New England Patriots for a third-round draft pick.

Ogunjobi’s family and friends had reached out to him because they knew the move meant the Browns would count on him deliver in an expanded role.

During an interview Wednesday with the Beacon Journal/Ohio.com, Ogunjobi said he told himself at the time of the Shelton trade, “Now it’s in front of you, but it’s still not going to be easy. Nobody’s just going to give you anything.”

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Now the Browns, in the midst of training camp, are hoping Ogunjobi earns the starting nose tackle job. Jamie Meder has taken the vast majority of first-team repetitions at the position, though Ogunjobi has received some opportunities with the first unit as well.

“I want to see [Ogunjobi] keep pushing Meder to take the starting job,” defensive line coach Clyde Simmons said July 29.

Ogunjobi, 24, has accepted the challenge.

“If I want to do the things I say I want to do, [winning a starting job is] just one of the things that has to take place,” Ogunjobi said. “So as I come to practice every day, my biggest thing is being the best version of myself each and every day.

“I know [the coaches] see something special in me, but I know what I have in myself and I know nobody can want more from me than me. So I have to continue to push myself every day. Even if I do get the starting job, it doesn’t stop there.”

The first pick of the third round (65th overall) in 2017, Ogunjobi primarily played three-technique last season, but, this year, Browns moved him to nose tackle, his main position at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Although he could always slide back to three-technique — starter Trevon Coley left Thursday’s practice with an ankle injury — nose tackle is Ogunjobi’s preferred spot.

“[Playing nose tackle provides me with the] fastest way to the quarterback, really, a straight line,” Ogunjobi said. “I’m a different type of nose. I’m not this space-eater. I can move. I can get in the backfield. There’s a lot of things I can do to just kind of make things harder on people.”

Ogunjobi’s production as a rookie last season suggests he has the potential to reach this stated goal: “To just be recognized as one of the top players at my position.”

He appeared in 14 games this past year with just one start and compiled 32 tackles, including a sack.

According to the rankings of the analytics-driven website ProFootballFocus.com, he had the 31st best overall grade and the 18th best run defense grade among 99 qualifying interior defensive linemen. With 12 pressures (four knockdowns and eight hurries), his pass-rush productivity rating tied for 27th among 98 qualifying interior D-linemen.

Of about a dozen qualifying rookies, he finished with PFF’s top grades in run defense, pass-rushing productivity and run-stop percentage.

“There’s more I can do. I can get better in all three of those categories,” Ogunjobi said when he was told about his high marks in PFF’s database. “So I take those things with a grain of salt because at the end of the day it doesn’t stop there.

“For me, in general, I feel like there’s no cap. … I just keep pushing that envelope, keep pushing that ceiling because I’m just excited to see what the best possible version of myself is.”

Simmons admitted he doesn’t “get too much into analytics” but has liked what he has seen on game film from Ogunjobi since his days at Charlotte.

“Watching him in college, I saw some movement skills and stuff like that, power and strength for a guy that didn’t play [a lot of] football,” Simmons said. “He’s really come a long way.

“He’s one of those guys who’s [spending time] before and after meetings studying film and doing the things to improve because he’s trying to learn the game, and [he’s] leaps and bounds from where he was last year.”

Simmons is quick to point out Ogunjobi is still raw because he didn’t grow up playing football like many NFL players, and it’s all part of his inspirational story.

Ogunjobi’s parents Larry and Mercy, Nigerian immigrants, became concerned about their son’s health when he ballooned to 350 pounds at age 16 by spending most of his time playing video games and eating strawberry Pop-Tarts. The family met a coach who got a reluctant Ogunjobi onto his high school football team as a sophomore. He lost more than 100 pounds in a year and later packed on muscle to complete a dramatic transformation.

“Statistically, I’m not supposed to be in this position,” said Ogunjobi, 6-foot-2 5/8 and 305 pounds. “I’m not supposed to be in the NFL playing, but God had something different for me, and it was something greater. So if you had told me this 10 years ago, I probably wouldn’t have known what you were talking about.”

Nowadays Ogunjobi exchanges text messages with some of the sport’s best defensive tackles — Geno Atkins of the Cincinnati Bengals and Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams — to pick up tricks of the trade. For the second consecutive offseason, Ogunjobi worked out with Atkins at Chip Smith Performance Systems in the Atlanta area. They trained together for about six weeks this offseason, and Ogunjobi sends film of his pass rushes to Atkins every night for critiquing.

“I feel like I’m such a better player [than I was last year] just because of the time that I took to really understand and really study film and really see things from a different perspective,” Ogunjobi said. “Everybody’s fast. Everybody’s strong. Everybody’s talented. But it’s the guys from the neck up who understand the game is mental that really make the difference.”

The Browns are eager for the preparation to pay off with Ogunjobi in the starting lineup.

https://www.ohio.com/akron/sports/browns...position-change

Scott Petrak ct
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#Browns not on field for scrimmage: DL Trevon Coley (ankle), RG Kevin Zeitler (calf), LB Justin Currie (concussion).



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#Browns working on side with trainers: LB Genard Avery (groin), TE Seth DeValve (calf), DE Chad Thomas (recovery from sports hernia surgery).

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Scrimmage started with 2s v 2s. Baker had two huge throws. A bucket throw on a go to CJ Board for 36 up the right sideline and then he climbed the pocket and hit Cajuste with a laser for 29 down to the 1. Nick Chubb punched it in for the TD.


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Next poss. 1s v 1s. Defense forced quick 3 and out. Good pressure and ward locked up Landry on one deep attempt.



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Third possession. 1 off v 2 def. bad offsides on 4th and 1 kept drive alive. Big play of drive thus far was a great seam ball from Tyrod to Njoku for 35. Landry and Coleman also had nice catches on the drive. Defense ultimately held on goal to go. Zane hit short FG

It's only TC .... but .... feels and sounds good.

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Stanton and 2nd offense in now against 1 D. Run Stuff. Garrett sack and run stuffed on 3rd down —- drive started at own 10. Another decisive 3 and out for the D.

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Same units. Starting from mid field. Stanton to CJ board (he continues to make plays) for 25 down the right sideline. Denzel Ward comes right back and hurts some feelings as he blows up wr screen. Slant to Board again with a nice juke and they’re in the red zone.

Baker must be REALLy accurate

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1st and goal. Schobert knifes through for a few yard loss on Dayes. Big hit by Kendricks stands Dayes up for no gain. 3rd and goal. Stanton vs the 1s. Incomplete on out to left to Janis. Mitchell on coverage. Martin short FG good.

I have no idea who this CJ Board is, but it sounds like he is making a case to roll with the 1's.

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1 off v 2 def up now. Starting 26 yard line. Taylor to Fells for 15 on 1st down. Play action to Coleman for 10. RPO to Njoku up seam for another 20. Offense cooking at opp 25


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Play action again,,,,Tyrod to Landry 26 yard TD. Beautiful ball and Landry had gotten wide open. Zane XP is good. That was efficient. 4 plays 4 completions and they went 75 yards. That was beautiful

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So, does the offense rock or the defense suck?

j/c:

The Orange and Brown Scrimmage is going on.....wish it was televised.

or both

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Ok. Action back on ... Baker and 2s vs 1 D

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1st down. Bought time. Threw rocket to willies on far side. Randall with HUGE hit to doslodge the ball. Incomplete. Randall had to come off. With trainers. Big hit

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Baker audibles presnap and hit Janis hit on a 12 yard out to beat blitz. Ward in off coverage. 1st down. Garrett almost gets strip sack but Baker falls on ball for 12 yard loss. 2nd and 22. Randall back in. Garrett TIPS bakers pass at LOS and picked by diving COLLINS

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1s against 2s now. Same sit. On own 42 down 5 with 1:15 left. 1st down. Tyrod dime to Duke for 20ish. PLAY OF THE DAY. Tyrod to Landry down the seam. Landry catches it with one hand (left) and scampers into end zone. That was a holy s...... play by @God_Son80 MAN

The 2nd team defense has gotten torched.

Landry on fire right now

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3s against 3s. Staring on 36 now. Stanton sacked by Sheldon for loss of 8. Complete to Janis for 13. Setting up 3rd and 5. Brantley off injured. Short to Chubb for no gain. Martin 51 is GOOD. Correction on Baker drive. - Garrett blew up handoff and baker fell on ball

looking forward to seeing these big plays

Baker did throw an INT (tipped pass at the line by Myles)

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GOALLINE. offense looking for redemption. 1 v 1. First play TD to Njoku but blown dead by ref for GARRETT sack. Play 2 Hyde bullies his way into end zone. Impressive as he carries multiple defenders. Play 3. Play action broken up by Collins....great ID by Jamie

Please let Myles Garrett stay healthy this year.

Garrett is terrorizing the offenses.

yes, garrett has been VERy impressive in camp

Goal line

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Play 4 - duke blown up for loss by Schobert and Peppers. Defense wins 3-1. 2 offense in now vs 2 defense. Chubb up the middle just short as defense held him out of end zone. Play action blown up. Frazier and Ogunjobi with the sack. 3rd play. Frazier and 71 sack. Man.

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Second team OL was just dominated and shut out 3-0 there. That continued trend started yesterday. One other note. Haven’t seen Hollywood Higgins at all and he’s been Baker’s go to. He is on the field but hasn’t seen action at WR that I’ve seen. Could be wrong.


Talking about Mayfield..

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Had no chance on either pass

@NathanZegura how's Bitonio looking?

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Solid. Garrett got around edge once. Was inside on the play he got the tip that led to INT.

Thanks for all the updates, pdawg.

great updates, it seems like our run game still can't manufacture tough yards

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Jamie Collins having a good scrimmage. He intercepted a tipped pass thrown by Mayfield. It was the first pick thrown by Mayfield. Collins also broke up a pass intended in the end zone for Njoku thrown by Taylor.

No problem. The scrimmage is over.

sounds like a good day of work for our team

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Scrimmage over. QB Tyrod Taylor and WR Jarvis Landry have strong connection. Landry made another impressive catch, corralling the ball with one hand, and racing away for 36-yard TD. LBs Jamie Collins and Joe Schobert were standouts on D. Collins had INT and a breakup in end zone.

Welcome back Jamie, continue to ball out and stay healthy.

A healthy Jamie Collins will be a big asset, IMO.

Yeah, Collins is huge for us

I think I am most interested in seeing how the linebacker playing time shakes out. We have four very legit guys if Collins is healthy.