Offensive teammates are raving about the play of Baker Mayfield in recent practices. (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 Browns practice and interviews …
Despite some choppy practices in training camp when media were allowed in, Browns offensive players, almost to a man, are upbeat about the way their side of the ball has rounded into form as the season opener approached.
Receivers, backs and linemen have spent the final days leading up to the opener lauding the practice play of quarterback Baker Mayfield.
“He has looked great to me. I think Baker is ready to have a big year,” said receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
“I think he looks great and super dialed in,” said center JC Tretter.
“In every situation, he is always composed and he is ready,” said running back Nick Chubb. “We believe in him. We trust him. We know he is going to make the right decision for us. There is never a question about him not being able to handle any situation.”
Running back Kareem Hunt said, “I expect Baker to come out and get the ball in the playmakers’ hands and just be more comfortable out there and have a big year. He looked great. He has looked great all camp and has been doing a great job of being a leader of the offense.”
Mayfield said he would be more comfortable once the installation phase of the offense was over. That appears to be the case because much of the best work by the offense has occurred since the media were excused from seeing team portions of practice.
“I think the training camp gave us the idea of how we are going to use guys within the system,” said coordinator Alex Van Pelt. “Definitely, we were trying to figure out how guys fit and play to the strengths of our guys. Now, I think after the month of training camp, we have a really good idea about where each guy fits and what roles they will play.
“I think the last 10 days have been some of our better practices offensively. Like I said, we are starting to understand who we are, how we can use each guy in their roles and highlight what they do well. I think we made strides over the last week to 10 days.”
Don’t ask
Neither coach Kevin Stefanski nor Van Pelt tipped their hands on the great mystery of who will be calling the offensive plays Sunday in Baltimore.
“I do not think it is for us to say anything at all at this point. Just for the competitive advantage, I think we will figure it out on game day,” Van Pelt said.
2020 revisited
At the end of last season, Beckham touted 2020 as a big year for him on the field -- the best season of his career. He might have said it also in New York before he was traded to the Browns prior to the 2019 season.
He’s backing off that now, but not because he doesn’t expect a good year for him on the field. It’s the coronavirus pandemic and the strife over racial injustices that have changed the narrative.
“I think it is selfish for me to say that 2020 is going to be my year, and if I would have known three years ago or last year whenever I started saying this that 2020 would have been a year like this, I do not think I would have ever said that,” Beckham said.
“It has been a tough year for all of us emotionally – pandemic, the world that we are living in. I think has been tough on everybody.
“Now that we are back in the situation and everything is seeming as if it is returning back to normal, I think the best thing that this world could do would be to finish this year strong and just find a way to make it the best that it has ever been. Kind of just having that mindset of just being great. That is just for the world in general.”
Brownie bits
Tretter was listed as limited on the practice participation report for the second day in a row. His playing status for Sunday may be clarified on Friday, but all indications are that he will make his 49th consecutive start for the Browns despite missing all of training camp after ‘scope surgery on his right knee …
Cornerbacks Greedy Williams (shoulder) and Kevin Johnson (liver) completed the heaviest work days out of practice again, virtually assuring they won’t be active in Baltimore. The likely replacements would be Terrance Mitchell on the outside and M.J. Stewart as the inside nickel back. Coordinator Joe Woods said, “I feel very comfortable with the guys we have and playing on Sunday.” …
Stefanski said that team captains would be selected for each game and not for the season. Part of the reason is the team has a leadership committee and social justice committee to deal with larger issues. “We are going to have 16 game captains. It will be one player per game,” Stefanski said. “My message to the players is you do not need a C on your chest to be a great leader.”