We’re entering the homestretch of the Browns spring football season.
Phase 3 of the offseason program kicks off Tuesday with the first of 10 OTA practices spread over the next three weeks.
They are still considered voluntary for veteran players. Among the missing early on were Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, Grant Delpit and Jerry Jeudy. No telling if any will show up.
This week, rookie draft picks and undrafted free agents join the veterans who choose to participate, giving coach Todd Monken kind of a dress rehearsal for training camp in offense v. defense practice periods.
After the three weeks of OTAs come three final practices in Monken’s mandatory minicamp on June 9-11.
By then, Monken hopes to have his quarterback depth chart defined, so that he can begin training camp in late July with an orderly rep rotation to prepare his eventual starting quarterback for the season opener.
Which brings us to the ESPN Cleveland Quarterback Tracker.
The Tracker debuted a year ago to mixed reviews. Some loved it, some hated it. All saw it and consumed it.
Our tracker topped 1 million views on a daily basis. The last one posted during Monken’s voluntary minicamp attracted more than 2 million views. Deion Sanders, aka Coach Prime, is a fan of the Tracker.
So as Monken’s OTAs commence, we thought we’d answer some frequently asked questions (FAQ) about the QB Tracker.
What does the tracker track?
Every throw by every quarterback in competitive offense v. defense practice periods.
Why? Who’s keeping score?
Coaches keep score, so why shouldn’t we? Every throw made on the practice field is recorded, reviewed, and graded. The Tracker is an unbiased statistical account of how each QB fared in throwing the ball on a given practice. It is, quite frankly, The Truth.
What is the relevance of tracking passes in spring practices?
Kevin Stefanski used to say that OTA practices essentially are a passing camp. The delivery of the ball to a receiver is the most elemental act of the quarterback. If the quarterback can’t deliver the ball at a high percentage in practice, odds are he won’t do it in games.
What periods do we track the quarterbacks?
The tracker is in effect only in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 practice periods. Media might post video of fantastic throws and catches in 1-on-1 periods (receiver v. cornerback), but these are not included in the tracker.
How accurate is the ESPN Cleveland Quarterback Tracker?
The tracker is tabulated by a committee of three – myself; Chopz, our social media director; and Justin Cooper, an ESPN Cleveland producer and contributor to our Browns coverage. If there is a discrepancy about a completion or interception, we may consult other members of the media and look at video.
What is the relevance of touchdowns and interceptions on the Tracker?
Touchdowns generally occur in red zone periods (inside the 20-yard line). If a pass is completed in a non-red zone period and the receiver strides beyond the secondary, we will record it as a touchdown. Interceptions are extremely important. There are no practice periods in which quarterbacks are encouraged to throw interceptions. Defensive backs have their own practice drills to rep interceptions. Interceptions could be the result of tipped or defected passes or supreme effort by defenders. But they go on the quarterback’s record, just as in real games.
What are the most relevant practice periods in regards to the Tracker?
Completions should be high in 7-on-7 periods (no pass rush). Completions tend to decrease in 11-on-11 periods.
Do the numbers tell the whole story of a quarterback’s practice day?
Absolutely not. But if a quarterback is completing a lot of passes in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 practice periods, he is having a good day. If he suffers interceptions — not a good day.
What about dropped passes? How do they figure in the Quarterback Tracker?
Just like in a real game. A dropped pass is an incompletion. Coaches review the film and determine who was at fault. The Tracker just records it as an incompletion.
Will the Quarterback Tracker be cumulative over OTAs and training camp?
Yes. So far, the Tracker only included passes thrown in the one day Monken’s voluntary minicamp was open to media. Those numbers will carry over through OTAs — one day a week over three weeks open to media – and training camp.
Are preseason games added to the Tracker?
Preseason statistics are kept separately and are not included in the Tracker.