Joel Bitonio back at practice was a sight for sore eyes. The All-Pro left guard will make his first career post-season appearance Sunday in Kansas City. (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 …
The football gods have jumped on the Browns’ bandwagon.
Last week was a grim reminder of the impact the pandemic has had on daily lives, not to mention a football season. It knocked out five coaches, including Kevin Stefanski, and four players from the team’s first playoff appearance in 18 years. Bad news hit the team every day. They held one truncated practice all week.
This week was like a storm passing and sunshine and rainbows filling the sky.
Every day dropped bits of good news on the Browns.
At the end of the practice week, all coaches and players sidelined by Covid-19 the past two weeks were back on the job.
Also, the players who missed the first two days of practice were back with limited participation. These were right tackle Jack Conklin (hamstring), linebacker B.J. Goodson (shoulder) and tight end David Njoku.
The team hasn’t been so close to full strength in months.
The three days of practice on the field were the most in at least three weeks. Stefanski used one of his allotted post-season padded practice days on Wednesday to capture everybody’s attention and set a tempo for the week.
“I feel like it has been a really good week of practice. It has been crisp,” Stefanski said. “There is energy out there. Guys understanding the game plan and understanding their jobs I thought we needed it.”
“Probably the strange part was that they had three straight days of practice. That is unique.” (Sarcasm.)
Myles Garrett said the team missed practicing.
“I think we are happy to get back to a regular routine,” he said. “It has been up and down and it has been hectic around here, but everybody likes when you have uniformity in what you are doing and consistency to the work you are putting in. Guys just want to be able to take care of their bodies, get in and be preparing like they would for any other game. Guys adjusted very well last week, but now that they are getting back to what they have been doing, guys are a little bit more locked in on the task at hand.”
GM AB is A-OK
General manager Andrew Berry emerged in a Zoom room for the first time since the bye week in November and gave hearty approval to the way the organization adapted to the Covid adversity, to Stefanski’s handling of the team, and to Baker Mayfield’s continual ascension as an NFL quarterback.
“This group has dealt with a ton of adversity and challenges over the course of the year, and none perhaps greater than what we have experienced the past two or three weeks,” Berry said. “At every turn and every pass, everyone has responded in a fantastic manner with positive attitudes and really found solutions to some challenging problems.”
On Stefanski, Berry said, “Kevin is unflappable. Obviously, very, very bright and strategic, but he is unflappable. He is the same person every day. Even-keeled demeanor. Fantastic with people. You need that steady hand within your organization with the inevitable ups and downs and adversity that hits in any NFL season, let alone this one specifically. I can’t say enough kind and positive words about the job that Kevin and his staff have done.”
As for Mayfield, Berry deferred all questions about possible negotiations for a new contract until after the season. But Berry sounded as if the organizations is ecstatic about the rise in Mayfield’s career arc under Stefanski and his staff.
“I think all of us have just seen his maturation and growth on a weekly basis. It is a credit to him and it is a credit to Kevin, to AVP [offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt] and to all of Baker’s hard work. He has really grown up before our eyes,” Berry said.
Welcome back
The guy wearing the biggest smile in town – behind an overgrown beard – is guard Joel Bitonio.
The longest-tenured Brown without a playoff appearance had to sweat out the wild-card victory over Pittsburgh and get over mild symptoms of Covid to make his belated first post-season appearance Sunday in Kansas City.
“Obviously, I am excited,” Bitonio said. “I am ready to be out there, I am ready to play and do my best, but it was always about the team and how they were going to respond. We have been in those situations all year. It was just really cool to see those guys step up and make plays. Obviously, I am pumped to keep playing and ready to get after it this weekend.”
Like Stefanski, Bitonio watched the game by himself in his man cave in his basement. He said neighbors celebrated the victory by shooting off fireworks in front of his home. His wife videotaped the organic celebration.
“It was just cool how I was kind of part of the celebration in the sense where you do not really get to experience that when you are playing in the games,” Bitonio said.
Brownie bits
Berry, on the Sunday showdown between Mayfield and Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes: “We are excited for the challenge. Expect Baker to respond and we expect really all of our guys up and down our roster to respond. We are looking forward to a competitive game.” …
You’re not alone if you think Garrett is overdue for a big play on an opposing quarterback. “Absolutely. This should be the game to do it,” he said. Garrett conceded he was gassed after fighting double-teams on the majority of Ben Roethlisberger’s 68 pass dropbacks. “I got close a couple times, but like I said before, I am due,” he said …
Tight end Stephen Carlson (groin) was added to the injury report. He is questionable, along with Conklin, Goodson and Njoku.