Despite another rainy day, Browns close training camp on positive note
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.(Ed. note: This story was edited after news that the Browns traded quarterback Joshua Dobbs and a seventh-round pick to Arizona for a 2024 fifth-round pick.)
Takeaways from Browns training camp Day 18 …
The potential was there for the longest Browns training camp in recent memory to end on a very negative note. But all went well as the Browns drew the curtain on Kevin Stefanski’s relatively drama-free fourth training camp.
First, bad weather closed the last practice to fans for the second day in a row. Then, moving into the cramped fieldhouse increased the risk of injury. Safety Grant Delpit injured his right forearm in a collision with receiver Jalen Wayne on Wednesday.
But Delpit was back on the field from the start – he’s still “day to day,” per Stefanski – and collisions were reduced to a few minor ones after which all players involved jumped to their feet immediately, as if to say, “Not happening to me.”
Riding that positivity, Stefanski conducted a full-team field goal period indoors and embattled kicker Cade York was a perfect 6 for 6.
The final practice of training camp had to be held indoors because of bad weather. That shut out the fans from the last two open practices of the summer. (TheLandOnDemand)
They can exhale now
When Delpit was dragged off the fieldhouse floor after colliding with Wayne on Wednesday, it looked like the safety would be out for a while. Although Delpit’s game status for the preseason finale in Kansas City is uncertain, he certainly was fortunate not to have a more serious injury.
“Of course, you’re relieved,” Stefanski said. “And that’s part of playing football and practicing football. You’re going to have some collisions that are unfortunate, but hopefully, we dodged a bullet.”
Still, I asked Stefanski if he is frustrated the Browns don’t have a full-scale, 120-yard practice field inside their fieldhouse.
He chuckled and answered, “No, we make do. We practice, we play wherever you want us to.”
Remember this name
Linebacker Mahmound (pronounced: ma-MOOD) Diabate’s breakout performance in the Philadelphia preseason game earned him a trip to the media tent, which is a rare occurrence for an undrafted rookie.
Diabete is still battling Tony Fields and Matthew Adams for perhaps two linebacker spots. But he’s secure in knowing he’s given everything he has in his first training camp.
“I’m focused on going out there on Saturday, having a great game and giving a good impression to the entire league,” he said.
“I feel like I’ve had a great camp. I’ve been able to showcase my talents, whether it be in practice or as you guys have seen in the game. So I’ve definitely been proud of myself. I feel like I put my best foot forward every single day and givem my best effort taking the coaching and made corrections. So I’m excited for the future. I’m thankful for my time so far here.”
Diabete, 22, played four years at Florida and one at Utah, yet wasn’t even invited to the NFL Combine, let alone drafted. He said he knows the name and draft order of every linebacker taken in the 2023 draft ahead of him. For the record, there were 25 taken from No. 3 overall to No. 255.
He said he had options to sign with other teams, but left the decision to his agent. He said he was shocked when he received a phone call soon as the draft ended from Stefanski.
“I never met with the Browns before. I think I met with a scout at the Shrine game, so I didn’t really know anything about the Browns,” Diabate said. “After the draft concluded, I get a FaceTime call from, a random number. I don’t have the number saved. I answer it, and the person starts giving me a spiel like, ‘This is why you should come to Cleveland.’ And I didn’t know the person’s face, so I was like, ‘Excuse me, who are you?’ And it was Stefanski.
“If you would have asked me on April 28, are you going to be a Cleveland Brown? I would have thought no shot because I never communicated with them. But they did a great job of vetting me. They did a great job of scouting me because when I came here, they had all the information that I could even imagine.”
Brownie bits
Stefanski wouldn’t specify which starters would not play in Kansas City …
Stefanski on whether he would attempt to set up field-goal attempts for York in KC: “It’s hard to tell the offensive players that you’re kicking field goals, but we’ll see how the game goes.” ...
Judging from practice, Watson should have his full complement of starting offensive linemen in front of him against the Chiefs. Left guard, who’s had several days off since the Philadelphia week, was back in team periods on Thursday …
The Browns initially waived quarterback Kellen Mond, but rescinded it in time after trading Dobbs. Mond stands as QB3 ...Defensive end Charles Wiley and cornerback Chris Westry were waived.
