When the Browns put the pads on for Sunday's practice, Myles Garrett will oppose rookie left tackle Jedrick Wills for the first time. (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 7 of Browns training camp …
Everybody knows the Browns are counting heavily on rookie Jedrick Wills to make the transition from college right tackle to NFL starting left tackle under difficult circumstances.
Early reviews of Wills have been mixed.
Left guard Joel Bitonio said Wills looks like a natural left tackle, despite his lack of experience there. But in his first week of padded practices, Wills understandably lost his share of one-on-one battles in position drills and in team drills against veteran end Olivier Vernon.
It doesn’t get any easier for Wills now that Myles Garrett is fully recovered from a strained hamstring.
“I would just like to introduce him to the NFL and how things are going to be,” Garrett said of Wills. “He is going to have a tough matchup against me and OV, but whenever we beat him or whenever we get one over on him, I do not want to him get discouraged or put his head down.
"That was one of the things I was seeing when he was out there going against OV. He would get beat once to twice. Just try to pick his head up. Focus on the next play. This guy has been in the league for a long time for a reason. He knows how to play the game. He knows how to rush the passer. You can’t get discouraged from one drive. You are going to have multiple [battles], and this could be just the one where he got you and you could go on to protect quarterback perfectly for the rest of the game, so do not allow these couple plays to keep you from getting where you want to go.”
Four years ago, the shoe was on the other foot. Garrett was the rookie breaking in and his opponent every day was Joe Thomas, a future Hall of Famer. Garrett missed the first four games with a sprained ankle and went on to lead the team in sacks with seven.
But Garrett wasn’t learning a new position like Wills. And in Wills’ case, the pressure is greater because he’s charged with upgrading a problem position in 2019 on an offense with high expectations.
Earlier this week, Vernon said of Wills, “He is making a big transition. It is not going to be easy, but he is putting the work in.
"He is just trying to get better as far as technique-wise. Especially under the circumstances we are in now with an offseason with no OTAs, no preseason games and training camp, it is going to be a real fast learning curve for him. All he can do right now is soak in what he can and try to just focus on little things each and every day just to get better at it and get more comfortable on that side. The sky is the limit for him.”
Get more comfortable? Is that possible with Garrett now lining up in front of him?
We shall see. The Browns are expected to practice in full pads on Sunday for the first time with Garrett and Wills on the field together.
Brownie bits
Nick Chubb was back on the field after missing three practices with a concussion. Just the sight of No. 24 running through the defense on a half-speed day provided energy …
Punter Jamie Gillan was also back after missing two practices with an undisclosed illness. Gillan spent one period on his own dropping punts inside the 5-yard line like a golfer lofting lob wedges on the range …
For the second practice in a row, Case Keenum’s first pass in team drills was intercepted. This time it was cornerback Terrance Mitchell who picked him …
Baker Mayfield also was intercepted by linebacker B.J. Goodson on a pass for tight end Austin Hooper. In truth, the play would have been blown dead by a sack. Later, Mayfield hooked up with Hooper after a bootleg left. There wasn’t a defender within three yards of Hooper. Like during the 2014 season with Kyle Shanahan as offensive coordinator, this offensive system tends to create uncontested throwing opportunities for the quarterback …
I found it interesting that in Baltimore, Ravens coach John Harbaugh was quoted as saying, “We need to keep our eye on the prize, which is preparing for the Browns [in the season-opener on Sept. 13].” I asked Kevin Stefanski if he doesn’t have the luxury of preparing so early for the opener because he’s a first-year head coach trying to install new offensive and defensive systems during a compressed training camp. “I do not think so,” he replied. “Right when the schedule comes out, you really talk about that Week 1 opponent. We are very aware of how many days that game is away. As much as we are teaching, learning and putting in systems, of course, we are going to start ramping this thing up and get ready for Baltimore on September 13.” The Browns are 1-19-1 in season openers in the expansion era ...
The following players were out: Receiver KhaDarel Hodge (personal), defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (groin), tight end David Njoku (wrist), receiver Damion Ratley (groin). Center Casey Dunn (foot) and receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (heat) left practice early …
Cornerback Kevin Johnson (lacerated liver) was released from University Hospitals and was reportedly doing fine. There’s no procedure or rehab that can speed up Johnson’s healing process from that accident in Wednesday’s practice when tight end Harrison Bryant fell on Johnson's abdomen, Stefanski confirmed. “He is doing really well,” Stefanski said. “We are going to take a week to week. I am going to listen to the doctors and the trainers on this one.”