Was the Browns’ trip to The Greenbrier worth it?
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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.
Hey Tony: What was gained out of going to Greenbrier that couldn’t have been done in Berea?
-- Bill, Oak Ridge, NJ
Hey Bill: Kevin Stefanski wanted to take the team to a secluded venue to form some organic team bonding. Coaches did it all the time in the past. Paul Brown probably was the first. But once teams started building their own majestic headquarters, with multiple fields and a fieldhouse for indoor practice, it was more convenient to stay home for training camp. What some coaches learned was their teams lost the intangible bonding that comes from the seclusion of practicing, eating, sleeping and living together for an extended period. There’s no way to measure whether Stefanski’s goal was met, but it sounded and looked to me that everyone enjoyed the week at The Greenbrier. Further, the monotony of training camp was broken up. I think it was beneficial.
Kevin Stefanski called the nine days at The Greenbrier 'an amazing experience.' (TheLandOnDemand)
Hey Tony: From your vantage point at camp, what is the overall feel of the team? What is your biggest concern?
- Johnny, Edinboro, PA
Hey Johnny: It’s early, but everything feels positive. There are no distractions, no major injuries, no real major holes in the roster. There will be adversity. How the team handles it will dictate how the season proceeds. That’s probably my biggest concern -- dealing with the inevitable adversity that lies ahead. It’s too early in camp for me to specify a particular position concern. Stefanski’s game management with Deshaun Watson at the quarterback helm will be on everyone’s watch list, I’m sure.
Hey Tony: I'm hearing so much positive things about the wide 9 scheme. If it was foolproof everyone would use it. What are some of the weaknesses to using the scheme?
-- Tedd, Mentor, OH
Hey Tedd: It certainly is not foolproof. You need to have the elite rushers who have the quickness to get to the quarterback from longer, wider angles. The wide 9 also opens up run gaps. If your back seven don’t fill the run gaps, you can be gashed on the ground. So, the scheme isn’t for every team, that’s for sure. Jim Schwartz has been running it forever and he had influence in patching the necessary positions that were lacking to be able to install the wide 9 system.
Hey Tony: Seeing lots of QB rankings with Watson in the top 10 of NFL QB’s. Obviously we haven’t seen that yet, but the potential is there. What is needed from his teammates, coaches, front office, etc, for him to play like a top 10 QB?
-- Andy, New Albany, OH
Hey Andy: I think the front office has done a good job of supporting Watson with more speed and experience at wide receiver to add to a good line and backfield, and a decent tight end group. I think the coaches have dedicated the entire offseason to incorporating Watson into the process of revamping the offense to suit his amazing skillset. I think his teammates are all on board with him. I think Watson has been diligent in taking ownership of his position of leadership and working hard in the offseason to recapture the skills that were dormant from 700 days of non-game activity. So now the rest is up to him. There are no excuses.
Hey Tony: Is there a Training Camp Daily this year? Is still a chance of adding a veteran RB to the 2 or 3 spot?
-- Lee, Stow, OH
Hey Lee: Unfortunately, TCD is not on the docket this year. It's not my pay grade to explain why. As far as a veteran backup running back, if there are no injuries in camp I would not be surprised if the job is won by John Kelly or undrafted rookie Hassan Hall. If neither is up to the task, I would expect the Browns to add a back after the 53 roster cut. I think it’s fairly set in stone that RB1 is Nick Chubb and RB2 is Jerome Ford. So we’re talking about RB3. An injury to Chubb or Ford would make a veteran pickup more urgent, of course.
Hey Tony: How’s the running back room going to shake out? We keep Chubb, Ford, and Felton? Last season we kept 5 but that doesn’t seem likely.
-- Nick, Lakewood, OH
Hey Nick: The Browns like Demetric Felton as a jack-of-all-trades. If he makes the team, it probably would be as RB4. I think Kelly or Hall or a veteran acquisition would be RB3.
Hey Tony: Did you also get to stay at the Greenbrier? If so, how was it?
-- Joe, Erie, PA
Hey Joe: No, the media riff-raff stayed in a hotel about six miles west of The Greenbrier located in Lewisburg, WV, which was actually a very nice and quaint town. I visited The Greenbrier almost every day. It's a fantastic resort.
Hey Tony: Would a 2-3 record after 5 tough games worry and concern you or would you be pretty calm about the situation?
-- Sherry, Cleveland, OH
Hey Sherry: If the two wins were against division rivals, I’d be OK with 2-3. Not enamored, but OK. If the Browns go 1-2 in their first three division games and 2-3 overall, I would think there would be a lot of concern in Berea. It usually takes at least four wins in division games to win the division. That should be the goal.
Hey Tony: What will be the strength of this team offense or defense?
-- Mike, Baldwin, PA
Hey Mike: Hard to tell this early. But if the first eight days of camp are a true indication, either side could legitimately stake that claim.
Hey Tony: You’ve seen a lot of training camps and player dustups over your career. Do you think Kevin Stefanski did a good job handling the ones at the Greenbrier?
-- AJ, Avon, OH
Hey AJ: They were minor. He handled them the right way, by making the entire team pay by running gassers. I’m sure the players who threw punches will be fined, also. No big deal.
Hey Tony: Last year DTs got scorched. Where is the more likely weak link this year, LB or LT? (I think our D Line is much improved).
-- Jason, Weeki Wachee, FL
Hey Jason: The linebacker room desperately needs to have Anthony Walker healthy and playing this year. Even then, it is virtually unchanged from a year ago, which seems odd considering it wasn’t exactly a strength last year.
Hey Tony: Is our record since ‘99 our punishment for whining for our team we deserved to lose? This is different. I remember Bernie and Slaughter. Are the real Browns in Baltimore?
-- Rocky, North Olmsted, OH
Hey Rocky: Deserved to lose? A Modell sympathizer? The real Browns are in Cleveland. Deal with it.
