What's bugging Amari Cooper more -- the play of the No. 1 offense the last two days or reports of the Browns trading him for Brandon Aiyuk? (Cleveland Browns)
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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.
Takeaways from Browns training camp Day 10 …
Storm forecasts and tornado warnings moved the Browns indoors and chased their fans away from one of only six open training camp practices this summer. There are only four remaining, starting Thursday at 2 p.m.
Inside their fieldhouse, the Browns primarily concentrated on preparing their backups to play extensively in the first preseason game Saturday at home against the Green Bay Packers.
Coach Kevin Stefanski announced that Jameis Winston would start at quarterback and although he conceded “some” starters would play – he capped that number at 10 – neither Deshaun Watson nor Myle Garrett would see action.
In Green Bay, Packers coach Mike LaFleur said he would follow his script from last season and give starters play time in each of their preseason games. That includes quarterback Jordan Love, LaFleur said. Stefanski joked that LaFleur made that decision after hearing Garrett wouldn’t play.
At practice, Winston enjoyed his best day, perhaps, of training camp. He connected three times for touchdowns overall, twice on long throws to Jaelon Darden and Cedric Tillman, as the No. 2 offense got extended time.
Meanwhile, the No. 1 offense had a second consecutive day of unspectacular work. It included an M.J. Emerson interception of Watson when the quarterback and Amari Cooper seemed not on the same page.
Watson and Cooper expressed frustration at various times in the indoor practice. You wonder if Cooper might have been affected by intensifying reports of a possible trade to San Francisco involving disgruntled 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
Collateral damage?
If the Browns don’t complete a deal for Aiyuk that sends Cooper to San Francisco, there is possible collateral damage of disrupting the good relations between Cooper and the Browns.
Cooper resolved his own protest of his contract situation this summer by agreeing at the start of training camp to a restructuring that guaranteed him a huge portion of his $20 million scheduled salary and added $5 million in bonuses. Cooper then said he would like to continue his Browns career with a new contract for multiple years.
Rather than arriving at a new deal with Cooper, however, GM Andrew Berry evidently has set his sights on Aiyuk, a player not happy being an intergral player on the reigning NFC championship team.
Fed up with Aiyuk’s “hold-in” and his refusal to accept a reported offer of $26 million a year, the 49ers granted Aiyuk permission to seek greener pastures with other teams. Reports from San Francisco are that the Browns and New England Patriots have offers on the table for Aiyuk and have satisfied the 49ers’ trade demands.
The Browns have not denied the reports.
Naturally, coach Kevin Stefanski declined to get caught up in the crosshairs of this ongoing story.
“I don’t really get into reports,” Stefanski said. “Respectfully, and I understand the question, but I’m really just focused on today and the practice. I don’t concern myself with reports.”
Asked if he felt the need to talk to Cooper about the trade reports, Stefanski said, “Yeah, as you can imagine, any conversations I have with our guys I keep to ourselves, if you will. We really focus on what’s going on in our building, not necessarily what’s going on outside the building.”
Aiming high
New defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson had a career-high six sacks with the New York Jets. He thinks joining a Jim Schwartz defense will push him to 10 or more.
“I expect to do better because my year got cut short last year,” he said. “I tore my groin, so I only played 13 games. I want to get 10 sacks. I know I have the 10-sack ability. I want to be a 10-sack guy. This is the defensive scheme to do it. Schwartz loves defensive linemen, always puts them in position to make plays, always has an aggressive mindset. So I’m excited.”
Brownie bits
The injury to defensive end Za’Darius Smith on Monday was the result of banging knees with running back Jerome Ford. “Kind of a weird injury, but ultimately he’ll be OK, but pretty sore,” Stefanski said …
Tillman continued his good start to his second season, hauling in TD passes from Winston and Watson. “I’m just focused on trying to get better every day,” Tillman said before practice. “Obviously, I’m more comfortable in Year 2.” …
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah returned to practice after missing four days with an undisclosed injury. Also, defensive lineman Sam Kamara was back after leaving Monday’s practice …
Guard Michael Dunn missed with an undisclosed injury ...
Browns roster moves: Signed defensive end Marcus Haynes and linebacker Landon Honeycutt. Waived wide receiver Jalen Camp and guard Chim Okorafor.