Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.Takeaways from Day 11 of Browns training camp …Questions about who will call offensive plays were prevalent in coach Kevin Stefanski’s first season, but not now.
A year ago, Stefanski planned to audition coordinator Alex Van Pelt for the job during preseason. When the pandemic wiped out the 2020 preseason, Stefanski just handled the task himself with input from his top offensive advisers.
Apparently, it will stay that way – even though Van Pelt had a tremendous day calling plays in the wild-card win in Pittsburgh with Stefanski watching in Covid quarantine from his rec room.
This preseason, Stefanski does plan to give some coaches “reps” at calling plays. But it won’t be for an audition for the full-time job or as a contingency plan if Stefanski missed a game this year.
“Alex will call some of it,” Stefanski said. “I might have some of the other coaches call it, too, and get them some reps to call plays. That’s an important part of development, as well.”
Stefanski’s staff is loaded with play-calling experience. Besides Van Pelt, receivers coach Chad O’Shea and line coach Bill Callahan have been full-time play-callers before.
Stefanski wants to introduce some of his younger coaches to the process, he said.
“There are certain guys where I want them to know what it is like to call plays. It may be the second-to-last series of the fourth quarter that somebody get some reps of doing that,” he said.
Stefanski joked of the experience he had taking over for the first time as Vikings’ play-caller in the middle of the 2018 season when coordinator John DeFilippo was fired by head coach Mike Zimmer.
“My first time calling plays was my first time calling plays,” Stefanski said. “I am worried about how to press the button and send the play in, when if I could not figure that out, we had bigger problems than previously thought. I just want those guys to go through that experience.”
Whither OBJReceiver Odell Beckham Jr. appears to be champing at the bit to get his first action in team drills. He looks great in individual drills and didn't flinch after slipping on wet turf while making a hard cut on a route he simulated on his own.
But he still was kept out of team drills. What’s keeping him out?
Yes, the team is being extremely cautious. Beckham is in his 10
th month since he had his right ACL surgically repaired.
There is also the situation with Beckham’s former team, the Giants, arriving next week for two days of joint practices prior to their preseason game in FirstEnergy Stadium. Stefanski wouldn’t say it, but he might not want to risk assimilating Beckham back into team drills until the Giants depart.
“It does not matter,” Stefanski contended. “We are just making sure that we are being smart, taking everything into account and getting the work in that he is getting on the field and in the weight room. Taking it all in with the advice of the medical professionals, but when and who that’s against does not matter.”
Depth chart notablesThe first unofficial Browns depth chart is always a revelation. Here are some notable points on it:
* David Njoku is TE2, Harrison Bryant TE3.
* Malik Jackson and Andrew Billings are DT1-2.
* The starting linebackers are Mack Wilson (WILL), Anthony Walker (MIKE) and Sione Takitaki (SAM).
* Jacob Phillips is MIKE2 and Malcom Smith is WILL2. Rookie Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who missed the first 10 days of camp in Covid isolation, is WILL3.
* Greedy Williams is CB2, with rookie Greg Newsome listed behind him.
Brownie bitsDefensive end Myles Garrett joined the growing ranks of players sidelined by a hamstring injury. Stefanski termed it “day to day.” Meantime, safety Grant Delpit missed his 10
th practice in a row – most of them because of a hamstring injury. Safety Ronnie Harrison missed his eighth in a row and receiver Anthony Schwartz his seventh – each with hamstring injuries. And add receiver Alexander Hollins to the hamstring list ...
End Jadeveon Clowney also was out for a day of rest. With Takk McKinley still absent and Garrett and Clowney possibly not seeing any action, expect to see a heavy dose of backup ends Porter Gustin, Curtis Weaver, Joe Johnson, and Cameron Malveaux in the Jacksonville game. “I think we’ll rotate a lot of those guys,” Stefanski said. “There’s no jobs that are nailed down. So we’ll wave them in.” …
After suffering four drops in Sunday’s practice in FirstEnergy Stadium, tight end Austin Hooper was a frequent target in a padded practice at about half-speed. Hooper had one ball slip through his hands but otherwise was sure-handed …
There was a pile-up on an outside zone run play that resulted in about a half-dozen players tangling up and winding up on the ground. Last to emerge was center J.C. Tretter, who slowly walked off and was looked at by a trainer. Coaches weren’t pleased …
Teams work out unsigned players every week, so a report the Browns worked out four players on Monday isn’t headline news. But the fact that two were quarterbacks – Chad Kelly, last pick in the 2017 draft, and Jordan Ta’Amu, of fleeting XFL fame – raises the question if the Browns are looking to add a developmental quarterback to their system. “It’s really just making sure we’re keeping tabs on a bunch of guys,” Stefanski said …
Linebacker Anthony Walker was back after being out a few days out with a knee injury. Tackle Malik McDowell was out with what now is termed a rib (not oblique) injury. Tackle Marvin Wilson left practice early on a steam bath-muggy day.
