New Browns receiver Amari Cooper is ready to go to work to prove he deserves to be Deshaun Watson's go-to target. (TheLandOnDemand)
Mum on Baker Mayfield, Kevin Stefanski is excited about reshaping Browns’ offense with a revamped QB room and No. 1 receiver
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Takeaways from Browns interviews on the second day of their offseason program …
Things that don’t excite Kevin Stefanski:
1. Questions about Baker Mayfield.
“That is a unique situation. It is fluid. We will just continue to work through it as we go each day.
“I am not going to get into the specifics of those types of things. Again, it really is a unique situation, and we will just work through it.”
2. Questions about the possibility of a Deshaun Watson suspension.
“We will work through those types of things. As you know, there are ongoing proceedings, and we will make sure that we work through those.
“I do not have an answer for that right now.”
Things that do excite Stefanski:
1. Tailoring a stale offense to a new quarterback and new No. 1 receiver.
“With the quarterback, you do want this to be a collaboration. All quarterbacks are different, and you want to make sure that you meet them where they are. Deshaun is very open-minded to trying different things that he has not done. Similarly, we are very open-minded to putting in schemes that he has a lot of success in that we have not done, for instance. It is an ongoing conversation. Day in and day out, just spending time with him yesterday and today, he wants to certainly grow as a player, and he wants to try different concepts. That is the beauty of the spring – May and June – where you can get out on the field and it is somewhat of a laboratory, and you try those things out and see what fits because there are going to be bunch of things that we hope fit, and you take that into training camp and certain things that maybe he does not love, you do not do it because it is just ultimately, it is what our quarterback is most comfortable doing.”
2. His first “normal” offseason program in three years as Browns head coach.
“I just think we have all been through that virtual, remote world – it is doable; it is just hard. There is just such great value in guys sitting down and breaking bread together. It seems simple, but we have not done it. To have the guys in cafeteria, in the locker room together and in the weight room and the classroom, just putting people around each other and starting to develop those relationships … it is really important.”
The new No. 1 battery
Receiver Amari Cooper was traded to the Browns on March 16. He was in Dubai five days later when he learned via text messages from some former teammates around midnight that the Browns had acquired Watson.
“Guys were like, ‘Man, you are lucky.’ …. It was cool. I was happy about it.
“He’s a great player. I’m a great player. We’re going to make it work by any means necessary. But I think as far as being his No. 1 receiver, that has to be earned. You just can’t come out and say ‘This is the No. 1 guy.’
“It doesn’t matter what you’ve done in the past. It has to be earned every day in OTAs, minicamp, training camp so I’m looking forward to going out there and earning the respect of Deshaun and allow him to say ‘I want to go to this guy. I’m confident in this guy.’ I know he’s going to come through for me, so I just have to go out there and prove it.”
Although Cooper joked all he knew about the Browns was from the motion picture Draft Day, he did have awareness of the Browns’ run-first mentality in Stefanski’s offense.
“It kinda reminds me of college. At Alabama we had a great running game, we were known for running the ball.
“I think any team that has assets they’re going to use them, No. 1. No. 2, it’s just the run game opens up the pass game. So it’s not something that I’m really worried about, whether I get a lot [of passing targets] or not. Just because we have such an explosive running game, I know that when I do get targeted, it’s going to be wide open. So it’s a win-win.”
Brissett’s ready when needed
Jacoby Brissett said he’s not concerned about moving from backup to replacement starter if Watson has to serve an NFL suspension because of violations of the league personal conduct policy.
“No, because that is not my place to try to predict that. I think I would not be in the position I am in today if I ever worry about things like that. I always prepare myself like a starter, and I carry myself like a starter because when those opportunities present themselves, I want to show that I am that.”
Like Cooper, Brissett has an early awareness of the offense he’s joining.
“We’re going to do what the strength of the team is. Obviously, you look at the Browns, it’s no shock, We have two of the best backs in the NFL. Teams understand that as well. So it’s going to be run, play-action and then everything else that comes with that.”
Ward won’t change
Denzel Ward was all smiles talking about his new, $100.5 million contract – the richest for a cornerback in NFL history.
“It means a lot. Just the fact that they continue to believe in me, believe in a kid who grew up in Ohio and went on to play for his hometown team, and their trust in my abilities, in what I can to do for this team and what I can do in this community, I’m blessed. I just want to continue to show I’m that guy that’s deserving of this.
“It always starts with the work. I feel I’ve been showing that since I’ve been here. I’m going to continue to work and be myself, be the person that I’ve been since I came to this organization. I’m going to do more things and expand out to the community, with my foundation.”
Ward’s take on AFC arms race
Like everyone, Ward has taken notice of NFC defections to a more star-studded AFC, such as quarterback Russell Wilson, receiver Davante Adams and quarterback Matt Ryan.
“Yes, it’s looking tough. We’re tough, too. So we take stuff a game at a time, put the work in and everything takes care of itself. We’re all competitors. We welcome the challenge and look forward to it.”
Brownie bits
Stefanski confirmed the revamping of the quarterback room with bigger, more mobile quarterbacks (Watson, Brissett and Josh Dobbs all are 6-2 ½ or taller and are not shy with running with the ball) was not coincidental. “We felt like we added three good players, and ultimately, they do share some skillsets,” he said. “Not all the exact same in that regard but certainly bigger and a little bit more athletic, the three guys together. Ultimately, it is what those three guys do best, and there is certainly a thread of things that they do well that we want to make sure we are utilizing.” …
Stefanski acknowledged the challenge of pivoting to Brissett as his starter at some point if Watson were to be suspended. “That is part of our job is to plan,” he said. “Everybody has to be ready to plan, and then as more information becomes available, then we can adjust how we structure practice, how we structure rotations and those type of things. Absent that information, I can’t really speculate just yet, but certainly as more information comes out, we will be ready to adjust and address any new information.”
Cooper on the Browns’ cornerbacks: “That’s one of the first things I heard when I got here. We got some pretty good DBs. This game’s about competition. So I look forward to competition with those guys. Gonna be great work.”
