A breakthrough: Kevin Stefanski discloses some preseason play time plans
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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.
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, WVA
Takeaways from Browns training camp Day 1 …
Could this be the dawning of a new, more transparent Kevin Stefanski?
On the first day of his fourth training camp, after putting his team through a very light initial workout on the manicured practice fields of The Greenbrier Resort, amid the peaceful and picturesque Allegheny Mountains, the coach of the Browns not only didn’t evade a question about play time during the expanded four-game preseason schedule, he actually gave some insight.
Stefanski essentially said he expects to play his starters only in Preseason Game 2 at home against Washington and in Game 4 at Kansas City.
I mean, it’s not Earth-shattering stuff. But for Stefanski to even go that far is … progress.
Here is how the coach answered the question about how he will determine play time in the four preseason games, starting with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game August 3 in Canton against the New York Jets:
“The way I look at it is … that first preseason game versus the Jets, it is in some ways, preseason game number zero,” he said. “Preseason game one for us is the Commanders game. So that preseason game versus the Jets is an awesome opportunity for our young players. So, we’ll really get a ton of reps for our young players in that game.
“Then really looking at Philly [against the Eagles] being the second game, if you will, because we’re practicing versus them, we won’t play our starters very much in that game, if at all. That’s where the structure remains the same. What we do in that Washington game … with that Kansas City game, we’re working through that plan, but that’s really as we go. We’ll come up with where we are in camp and how we want to handle those.”
If you’re charting the quarterback play time, look for Kellen Mond and rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson to share the HOF Game against the Jets; Deshaun Watson and Joshua Dobbs to get the bulk of time against the Commanders; perhaps Dobbs, Mond and DTR to play against the Eagles; and then Watson and everybody else play against the Chiefs.
Keep in mind that whenever Watson is on the field, the rest of the No. 1 offense will be with him, with the possible exception of running back Nick Chubb, who is at the point of his career where he doesn’t need to touch the ball a single time in preseason action.
Wide receiver Marquise Goodwin's return is uncertain after a diagnosis of blod clots in his lungs and legs. (TheLandOnDemand)
Scary stuff
Wide receiver Marquise Goodwin felt discomfort in his legs and shortness of breath during the OTA and minicamp season. A checkup revealed blood clots in his lungs and legs.
Blood clots have prematurely ended the careers of professional athletes, notably NBA player Chris Bosh. Still, the Browns are not counting Goodwin out – or in – at this time. He was placed on the non-football illness list. Goodwin, 32, made the trip and did some work with trainers on the side.
Stefanski said he thinks Goodwin can come back at some point this year, possibly in training camp, but admitted “it’s an unknown.”
“I think all of it remains to be seen from a health standpoint and when he’s ready to go,” he said. “In the meantime, we’re just supporting him and he’s listening to doctors, but he wants to be here – he wants to be around his teammates. But where this goes, I don’t think that we know yet. I think we’re just going to make sure that we support him and give him everything he needs medically.”
In the spring, Goodwin’s speed, despite his age, was evident running under bombs heaved by Watson.
Amari Cooper said he overheard Goodwin commenting on some discomfort and shortness of breath in the spring, but he never imagined it was as serious as blood clots.
“It’s crazy,” Cooper said.
Some positive injury news
Linebackers Anthony Walker and Sione Takitaki did not participate in the light workout, but they were not placed on any preseason injury list. That’s a very encouraging sign that they could join their teammates at practice sometime soon.
Walker had surgery to repair a torn quadricep tendon last September. Takitaki had major knee surgery to correct a torn ACL in December.
“Those guys have worked so hard this offseason,” Stefanski said. “They’ve lived in the building. They want to get back as quickly as possible. So to have them out here and working right away – they’ll still rehab and be smart with how they’re coming along -- but it’s a testament to how hard they’ve worked.”
Meanwhile, receiver Anthony Schwartz was put on the NFI list with a hamstring injury that kept him out of practice most of the OTA and minicamp season.
Brownie bits
The slow ramp-up to training camp included some gassers, but Stefanski does not put his players through a full-fledged conditioning test …
After core muscle surgery in the offseason, Cooper practiced only on the first day of minicamp in the spring season, but he declared himself an all-go now. “It feels good,” he said. “It is like you do all the work leading up to this point so that the chemistry can already be on point after the first day of training camp. So we just got to sit back and wait and see how things go.” …
Stefanski wouldn’t disclose his plans for any team-building activities during the nine-day stay at The Greenbrier. Anything he does with the team off the field must be on a work day, so that means players are free to do whatever they want on Wednesday, their first official off day of camp. On the concept of team-building during their stay here, Stefanski said. “I don’t know that you do team-building and team-bonding,” he said. “Those types of things are organic. I really think just being on a bus together, you’re building your team. Being on the airplane, being around each other. I think what this [stay] allows us to do, obviously, is we’re land-locked here. We’re in the middle of nowhere by design, so it forces you just to be around your teammates.” …
With Goodwin out indefinitely, the Browns added receiver Austin Watkins to the roster. Watkins, 6-3 and 210 pounds, was an undrafted free agent out of Alabama-Birmingham in 2021 with the 49ers. He spent time on the Buccaneers practice squad in 2022. Walker played with Birmingham of the USFL …
The NFL agreed to allow players to wear No. 0 this year and cornerback Greg Newsome has snatched it and given up No. 20. Why? “I don’t know,” said cornerback Denzel Ward. “I see him making a lot of plays in it. I like it.” Newsome is the first player in Browns history to wear No. 0 …
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah has switched from No. 28 to No. 6, which he wore at Notre Dame ...Stefanski termed the release of second-year defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey "disappointing." Winfrey is under investigation by Cleveland Police for threatening a female while in possession of a firearm. Winfrey also grabbed the female by the neck, according to the police report . "I wish him well," Stefanski said. There are no immediate plans to add a defensive tackle to the roster.
