Backup defensive end Porter Gustin had Baker Mayfield in his sights all day on Wednesday. (Cleveland Browns)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Takeaways from Day 5 of Browns training camp …
And on the fifth day of camp, the Browns’ offense scored a touchdown.
Really.
Yes, the No. 1 offense turned in a bona fide highlight play in 11-on-11 team drills. Without JC Tretter (knee) at center, without Nick Chubb (concussion) at running back, and without those rehabbin’ receivers, Jarvis Landry (hip) and Odell Beckham Jr. (sports hernia), the latter of whom participated in a few reps and then walked into the facility 15 minutes before practice ended.
The highlight play figures to be a staple of the Kevin Stefanski offense – a Baker Mayfield pass off a naked bootleg.
Mayfield sold the play-fake so well, the entire defense was in pursuit to the left when Mayfield pivoted and rolled right with nobody on that side of the field. In full stride, Mayfield threw across his body to the middle of the field and darted the ball to rookie Donovan Peoples-Jones, who was covered but plucked the ball above the defender at the back of the end zone.
Peoples-Jones punctuated the TD catch with an emphatic spin of the ball to the ground. It seemed an act of frustration more than celebration.
The play, covering about 20 yards (it was hard for distanced media to make out the line of scrimmage), might have been the offensive highlight of the first five practices in pads.
Until that touchdown late in the practice, it was another day at the office for Mayfield. Which is to say he sailed the ball high, low and wide. And suffered a couple virtual sacks.
One pass sailed over David Njoku and was intercepted by safety Andrew Sendejo. Backup linebacker Willie Harvey caught one of Mayfield’s passes without even being on the field; he was watching the play on the defensive sideline. Mayfield was touch-sacked twice by backup left defensive end Porter Gustin, who kept beating the Wyatt Teller-Jack Conklin right-side protection. Another time, tackle Sheldon Richardson chased Mayfield into a throwaway to the right sideline.
Other than the TD to Peoples-Jones, Mayfield’s best play may have been avoiding a sack by turning on the jets and running to the left sideline for some positive yards, which earned some encouragement from the offensive sideline. Yes, Mayfield’s weight loss has improved his foot quickness.
It’s common, of course, for defenses to be ahead of offenses at this early point in camp, especially for teams like the Browns always changing coaches and offensive systems. In this case, though, the offense is seemingly on edge.
I asked Case Keenum, the well-traveled backup quarterback who’s on his fourth team in four years, if he has ever been on a team on which the offense was ahead of the defense in the early stages of training camp.
“Who’s keeping score?” he shot back. “I do not know. I think we are all growing. We are both growing.
“I think we are trading punches, if you will. I think we are competing. We are going at it. I think the defense has made some big plays, for sure. I think we have made some big plays, too. We have left some football out there, but we are learning and growing. I think both sides are doing a great job.”
For his part, Stefanski straddled the line between head coach of the whole team and architect of what Keenum called the “2020 Browns” offense.
“I think that is generally the case,” he said of the defense being ahead of the offense, “and I think all of us, going for years, that is always something that you hear being said.
“The only thing I would add to that is we are really teaching systems on either side so our coaches are not scheming against each other. I want our guys to compete every play, obviously, take every rep and try to win their one on one, but at the end of the day, we are truly teaching on either side and not trying to determine who is winning practice.”
Mack (not yet under) the Knife
The Browns are waiting for swelling in Mack Wilson’s left knee to go down before determining the next course of action.
Wilson’s knee was grossly hyperextended when defending a pass play in Tuesday’s practice. Surgery would end the second-year linebacker’s season. The alternative wouldn’t guarantee he gets back onto the field this season.
Early Wednesday evening, Wilson tweeted, “A lot of emotions running through my head rn, but I always knew even as a kid that God makes no mistakes! 5ive1 will be back and better with an even bigger chip on my shoulder I promise you. Love you guys & thanks to everyone who prayed for me and reached out to me.”
Stefanski said prior to practice, “Unfortunate injury there for Mack. I feel for him. I talked to him last night. I really do not know the extent and how long this will be, but I will just make sure we defer to the medical staff.”
In Wilson’s place, veteran free agent pickup B.J. Goodson received more reps alongside Sione Takitaki in coordinator Joe Woods’ 4-2-5 sets.
Goodson said, “He is in good spirits. He is staying positive, and I am on top of him on staying positive.”
And now, the rest of the story
Entering the final game of the 2019 season, Nick Chubb held a 124-yard lead over Tennessee’s Derrick Henry for the NFL rushing title. But in that last game, Henry air-mailed Chubb with a 211-yard game while Chubb rushed for 41 yards. Henry won the title with 1,540 yards to Chubb’s 1,494.
Browns right tackle Jack Conklin, who was blocking for Henry with the Titans last year, said winning the rushing crown was a “huge topic” for the Titans during the work week and even during the game.
“We really wanted to get Derrick that title,” Conklin said. “It was something we talked about all week. It was a focal point even until the end of the game.
“I think he was about 40 yards off, and he wanted to stay in and we were up. Luckily [Titans Head] Coach [Mike] Vrabel let us keep him in there. I think we had four plays left he could stay in, and we were able to break one off for him. Obviously, we had to win the game to get in the playoffs to begin with, but that was definitely huge for us as an offensive line and something that we talked about even on the sideline.”
Brownie bits …
Gustin’s good day may have leap-frogged him over Chad Thomas for more playing time at end behind the starters. Gustin was a mid-season pickup last year …
Goodson is new to the Browns, but he sounded like he was part of the 6-10 Browns in 2019 when he said “I have been a part of a team that looks real pretty on paper before, and it did not pan out to be what it was expected to be before. I know how that can and how that will lead to going down a path that you do not really want to go down.” …
With a players day off scheduled for Friday, it’s possible that Myles Garrett (hamstring) and Chubb (concussion) would sit out until Saturday at the earliest.