DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Mandatory Minicamp Thread (not to be confused w/ voluntary workouts)

j/c:

This is so incredibly awesome.

I love at about the 1:00 mark, where the deer leans his head into her like my dog does to me.

Yeah, that was so sweet. Life is good.

very sweet..just hope that deer didn't have ticks !

We've needed a guy like Jake for awhile. Scabs like MKC make reading anything around the team brutal and always slanted. Jake is a refreshing read

Great read and thanks for posting.

1. Chubb looking bulkier AND quicker is great to read.

2. I know Landry is out for minicamp but I hope Higgins on the outside remains a thing moving forward and we see more of Landry inside, exclusively almost. IIRC, Higgins lined up in the slot a bit last year.

3. Year three is big for Njoku. TE is one of the positions that takes the longest to develop but it's good to read he is already showing up in camp. He has the upside to be one of the best TEs in the NFL. I agree with Burns on the weaknesses he needs to focus on. RedZone weapon for sure in 2019.

4. Two right guards taking first team reps in two days. I'm interested to see what happens today.

5. Avery not playing linebacker is interesting. I might go try and find his # of snaps playing on the line in 2018.

6. "Chris Smith, Chad Thomas and Anthony Zettel all rotate in with the second-team at EDGE"-- At this point in time, I'd prefer Nassib.

Some notes in there about the defense:

- Schobert and Kirksey are the main two linebackers. Wilks likes to use 4-2-5 (nickel)

- Rookies Sione Takitaki and Mack Wilson usually work in the same unit together. Schobert and Kirksey are in contract years so they may need to learn quickly.

- Genard Avery has done all his work as an EDGE with no time at linebacker. There are sub packages with Avery as edge rusher where Garrett bumps inside.

- Chris Smith, Chad Thomas, Anthony Zettal are second team at edge; not all will make the roster.

- Safeties led by Damarious Randall, who is everywhere.

- Jermaine Whitehead gets majority of first team reps, sometimes at slot, sometimes at deep safety.

- Some more notes about other safeties

- TJ Carrie plays nickel corner while also working outside in big nickel sets that have 3 safeties

- Greedy Williams had a phenomenal day

- Terrance Mitchell works in dime sets and backs up outside

- Denzel Ward vs Beckham Jr. is must-watch stuff.

- Garrett and Vernon rotate side to side often; one is often in a two-point stance.

- Defense as a whole has been winning practices so far (not uncommon this early in the off-season).

Inject it into my veins.

Agree with everything except the Nassib comment, lol.

And with Avery not playing LB, is Vernon playing any LB?

You were just hating on Corbett because you don't like him.

j/c:

#Browns coach Freddie Kitchens said wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and running back Duke Johnson didn't participate in team drills today as part of "preventive" plan, neither player is injured.
https://twitter.com/ByNateUlrich/status/1136676353120641024

The problem is they don't know who is going to be the starting RG, so it's a little early to name a starter. I doubt they will know who that is until after a few pre-season games.

You can lose a job in mini-camp, but you don't win them there.

IIRC, Freddie wanted guys in uniform, even if they were getting a veteran day off, and Haley was the one who wanted everyone practicing every day.

Thanks for posting the Jake Burns article. I love real football talk and not the BS that a lot of these people throw out there. Some takeaways:

--It is too bad about Harrison. He has the talent, but apparently not the want-to and discipline.

--I like Avery at Edge. He was effective there early last year, but he played more and more in coverage as the year progressed. I'm sure that injuries played a part in that. He's just much better at Edge.

--Important year for Njoku. He has been a freakish athlete instead of a football player thus far. He needs to make the jump this year. He came across as a really good dude on Hard Knocks last year and I believe he has a shot to justify the high draft pick that he was.

--Love hearing about the OBJ/Ward match-up. That's got to be fun to watch.

--I'm a bit concerned w/the OL. Going to have to watch it closely in preseason.

--I'm also a bit concerned w/Wilks. I have been reading more and more about his past and I'm not sold on the guy.

--Glad to hear Greedy is looking good. We need him.

--Interesting not about Randall and enjoying him while we can.

We have two linebackers that will play — Joe Schobert and Christian Kirksey. If either one of them gets hurt they will be replaced By Sione Takitaki, Mack Wilson, Adarius Taylor, or Ray Ray Armstrong. There is no need for Vernon to be play linebacker, he is an edge rusher.

Agreed. I don't see a scenario with Vernon at LB.

Only in Ohio would anyone get the Willie Mays Hays reference. There's something to be said for a guy who is willing to do whatever it takes, as long as he can do it. I think he's a long shot to make the roster.

Only in Ohio? Major League is one of the most popular sports movies of all time.

It sure is a tough butt WR room to break ... i feel sorry for dudes like this ... they’re here to try and impress someone on the staff and get them to help them catch on somewhere else .. same with anyone trying to make it in our RB room ... those are extremely hard rooms to catch on in ..

How sweet it is ...

If he makes it, it will be due to him showing some jazz returning kicks and punts.. He might be our new Dino Hall.

He is also a candidate for the practice squad.

Yea, you're right. I guess we won't be seeing Avery much this year then.

Also, does anyone have the dates for training camp?

It should be on the Internet.

j/c:

I’d bet we see Avery in thirty to forty percent of snaps.

I don't know about 40 percent, but defensive linemen rotate more than any other unit. It's really important to have depth at all 4 spots on the DL.

During minicamp he was lining up on the edge with Garrett inside. Combine that with the times he’s in the field just to give the other guys a rest and it’ll be a high percentage of plays for a backup.

Are you debating? I wasn't. I was simply making the point that no unit alternates more than the DL.

And hopefully this year we can rotate in a single player at a time, without a huge dropoff.

I don't mind moving Garrett around, but I think we'd be doing a disservice to Garrett (as well as the DTs) by sliding him inside just to get Avery or anyone else PT. Unless Garrett is tired, I want to see him at DE. That is where he is great, and at his best. We should use him there. I hope Wilks doesn't try to put a square peg in a round hole.

I would assume that Garrett would only be inside on clear passing downs.

Garrett’s first career sack came from inside. Just pointing that out.

Garrett's Quickness and strength make it hard for OG's to handle him ...

Notes: Freddie Kitchens says he’s nervous when the players are away but trusts them to stay out of trouble

https://www.brownszone.com/2019/06/06/no...out-of-trouble/


BEREA — Freddie Kitchens will have many firsts as a new head coach. The latest was sending his veterans home for the summer.

He told them to stay out of trouble.

“Our message does not change from whether it is January or May or June,” he said Thursday as minicamp concluded. “We don’t have very many rules here. It is just to do the right thing, and we will be fine.

“They have to make the decisions, so hopefully they make good decisions.”

He conceded he’ll spend the seven weeks before training camp in late July worrying.

“The short answer to your question is, yes, I get nervous,” Kitchens said. “But I get nervous when my daughters walk to school. Yeah, I am always nervous. When they are not with me, I am nervous, just like my daughters.

“I would say that I trust them, too, though. I trust that they are going to do the right thing and I am going to trust them until they tell me that I can’t trust them, and they tell me that by showing me that.”

Kitchens’ break isn’t as long — the rookies won’t be dismissed for another three weeks — and said he’ll spend much of it in Cleveland. He’s looking forward to more quality time with his wife and two girls.

“One thing I pride myself on is if I am here, then I am going to work,” he said. “If I am not here, I am with my family. I am present wherever I am at, whether it be a horse show, sitting at home playing a game, or just talking to my family.”

POSITION BATTLE

Three minicamp practices, three first-team right guards.

Austin Corbett was with the starters Tuesday, followed by Eric Kush and Kyle Kalis. When they weren’t the starting right guard, they rotated at center and left guard with the backups.

“We are not even close to even deciding anything,” Kitchens said. “The offensive linemen need pads on before we can start determining anything like that.”

Kitchens said the rotation is also useful to test the interior linemen’s ability to play multiple spots.

Corbett was the No. 33 pick in the 2018 draft.

SPECIAL GUESTS

The Browns hosted Navy Undersecretary Thomas B. Modly along with multiple Navy officers and World War II veterans on the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

In attendance were Westlake native Emory Crowder, a World War II Navy Corpsman and Silver Star and Purple Heart recipient; John Simanella, who was with the Army Air Corps and flew 30 successful combat missions; and Bob Allen, one of two surviving crew members from the USS Cleveland.



“I would like to start by saying to my core how appreciative I am of the guests that we had today,” Kitchens said. “What those guys did and the sacrifices they did, it is unbelievable. I read a couple of books concerning D-Day, and what those guys walked into without knowing is remarkable.”

INJURY REPORT

Cornerback TJ Carrie left practice with an unspecified leg injury, but it’s not believed to be serious.

Carrie, who’s been the No. 1 nickelback, dropped to the ground without contact, grabbed the back of his leg and hobbled off the field. After being worked on by an athletic trainer, he stood up and looked fine, then walked into the facility.

He was replaced by Phillip Gaines.

** Receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and running back Duke Johnson did individual drills but didn’t participate in team drills. They aren’t injured, but the Browns were being careful after Johnson skipped the organized team activities and Beckham attended only one.

“We are going to make sure that we take care of our players until (the games) start counting,” Kitchens said. “That does not mean that they are not going to work their a– off when they are here, but we are not going to be stupid.”

** Safety Morgan Burnett and receivers Damion Ratley and Derrick Willies were among the group that didn’t practice during minicamp with injuries, but Kitchens said they’ll be ready for the start of training camp.

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS

Receiver Ishmael Hyman continued to get time with the first-team offense throughout the minicamp with Jarvis Landry watching and Beckham’s reps being limited. Hyman came from the defunct Alliance of American Football.

“He came in and worked his tail off,” Kitchens said.

** Undrafted rookie receiver Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi caught a touchdown from Drew Stanton.

** The Browns worked on end-of-game situations, including a desperation string of laterals.

** After a music flap Wednesday in which Myles Garrett unplugged the stereo during a Hank Williams Jr. song, the stretching session Thursday opened with Queen’s “Fat Bottomed Girls,” which was approved by Garrett.

EXTRA POINTS

Tackle Ka’John Armstrong (6-foot-5, 300 pounds) was signed to the roster after participating in minicamp on a tryout basis. He’s an undrafted rookie out of Eastern Michigan.

** Left tackle Desmond Harrison, cut by the Browns on Wednesday, was claimed off waivers by the Cardinals.

** Jamie “Scottish Hammer” Gillan punts left-handed but throws right-handed.

It was from the inside, but it was off a stunt. He didn't line up inside.