Dee and Jimmy Haslam couldn't conceal their exasperation in pursuing a stadium project that is one of the largest developments in Northeast Ohio history. (TheLandOnDemand)
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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 SUPHUR SPRINGS, WV
Takeaways from Browns training camp Day 3 …
Indications continue to point to a covered stadium in Brook Park as the future home of the Browns because a massive renovation of the lakefront stadium doesn’t rectify issues with parking, accessibility and pedestrian traffic.
But team owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam are not ready to publicly state their preference to forge ahead to Brook Park. They continue to offer renovation as a less expensive option.
“The right answer is what is best for our fans, okay?” Jimmy said at the Haslams’ annual training camp press conference. “That is driving 90 percent of the decision-making.”
Until they choose one of the options – and until everybody jumps on board behind it -- the stadium issue remains at a standstill. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking on the Haslams’ option to purchase 176 acres in Brook Park and the stadium lease expiring after the 2028 season.
So what’s their timetable for choosing the best option?
“Good question,” Jimmy said. “I don’t know that because there’s too many variables. I can tell you we’re intensely focused. Hope it happens sooner rather than later. If I was you I’d ask, ‘What’s sooner?’ I don’t really want to commit and say exactly because there’s still a fair amount of variables.”
The Browns have proposed a $1 billion+ renovation of the lakefront stadium and a $2.4 billion covered stadium in Brook Park with about $1.1 billion in commercial development.
Jimmy Haslam has previously expressed the hope of having all entities on board by the end of this calendar year.
At times he sounded exasperated with the pace of things.
“Our lease runs out in 2028, so I guess you could say that’s driving it and that’s providing a sense of urgency,” he said. “I just don’t want to say October 1 or January 1 or March 1 because it would be disingenuous, because we really don’t have that. I can assure you the intensity on all sides of coming up with a solution.”
He added, “The complexity of these [projects], getting the design right, the cost right, making sure you can finance it, how much equity it’s going to take, working with city, county and state just takes time and everybody is working hard on it.”
So why not just pay for it himself and build it where he wants, he was asked.
“You know, it’s a complicated question in that the vast majority of these stadiums, if you read the news the last six months, are public-private partnerships,” Haslam responded. “We don’t own the [lakefront] stadium. And I’ll be honest, the way the financials work out in an area like northeast Ohio, I think it needs to be a partnership.
“I still think the incremental revenue [from the expected commercial development in Brook Park], that’s what everybody needs to understand, will pay for the financing with the city, the county, and the state, if they choose to do so -- I don’t want to be presumptuous. They’re really taking our new projected revenue stream, bonding it, letting us borrow … they’re providing the finances with the project. So I think it’s a good way to go. We have worked in depth with all really forward into these cities of Cleveland, Brook Park, Cuyahoga County and the state of Ohio.”
On other topics, the Haslams:
* Said they’re thrilled that contract extensions for GM Andrew Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski are done.
Interestingly, however, they have not yet extended the contract of Paul DePodesta, the chief strategy officer who created the Berry-Stefanski partnership.
“We’re working through the situation with Paul,” Jimmy Haslam said. “It’s a little bit different because he lives in San Diego, but we’re comfortable Paul will remain with us in some very important fashion for the long term.”
* Expressed faith and confidence in running back Nick Chubb returning to the field this year.
But Jimmy cautioned, “I think we all have to remember, he’s coming back from an incredibly serious knee injury that required two surgeries. But if anybody can do it, it’s Nick Chubb. So, we’re excited to see what can happen.”
* Expressed confidence in Deshaun Watson becoming the quarterback they thought he was.
“He’s worked hard,” Jimmy said. “He told us he’s in the best shape he’s ever been in. So, we’re excited to see what happens next week, get the pads on and see how he does. But he’s in a very good frame of mind as I think you all saw [on Friday].”
* Declined, as usual, to state ownership expectations for the 2024 season.
“We’ve got a long way to go in terms of being a consistent winner,” Jimmy said. “Do we feel good about our roster, our quarterback, and our staff? We do, but things happen. Injuries, you know, situations change.
“And I think you all know we have an extremely difficult schedule this year. If I’m a fan, our home schedule is unbelievable. You know, if you care who wins and loses these games, it’s tough. So, are we comfortable? I don’t even want to say comfortable. We’ve made a lot of progress. Still have progress together is probably a better way to say it.”
Ramping up
The Browns held their longest practice yet, more than 90 minutes on the field. Still not in pads, players wore shells and the tempo turned up a notch from the previous day.
They had an 11-on-11 period with the offense backed up to its own end zone, a 7-on-7 period in the middle of the field, and their first team red zone period of camp.
Deshaun Watson had two sessions in red zone against the first-team defense. He was 3-for-5 in the first one with touchdowns to David Bell and running back John Kelly. In the second session, Watson put it in the end zone twice on a thread-the-needle throw to Elijah Moore and an easy throw to tight end David Njoku who high-pointed the ball over beaten safety Grant Delpit.
Jameis Winston had one touchdown to tight end Giovanni Ricci in his three snaps in the red zone period. Dorian Thompson-Robinson had TDs to receivers Jaelon Darden and Matt Landers.
Tyler Huntley did not receive reps in the red zone, but he did get some in the 7-on-7 period.
The longest practice yet concluded with players doing wind sprints six times from sideline to sideline. Mike Vrabel, coaching consultant, was the only coach to join the players in the wind sprints.
Players are off on Sunday and won’t be hard-pressed to spend it on available activities at The Greenbrier Resort.
Brownie bits
With Thompson-Robinson and Huntley in an unofficial battle for the QB3 role, Stefanski would not say if he plans to keep a third quarterback on the 53 roster. After needing to play five quarterbacks last year, you’d think keeping three would be a no-brainer. But a rule change this year makes it easier for teams to activate a third quarterback on game day directly from its practice squad, which wasn’t the case last year. “That’s a good question, something that we talk about, Andrew [Berry] and I and the staff,” Stefanski said. “Those are things you work through as you get into preseason, get towards the end of August, but you factor all those things in, but definitely something that you talk about.” …
Veteran backup center Brian Allen left practice with a trainer after suffering an apparent injury to his left leg during position drills …
Njoku joined team drills for the first time in camp. Myles Garrett still stayed mostly off to the side, but he did jump in at right end – without a helmet -- for some pass rush reps in the 11-on-11 period …
Cornerbacks Dyshawn Gales and Tony Brown dropped interceptions …
Kickers Dustin Hopkins and Cade York practiced positioning kickoffs directionally in the landing zone (from the 20 to the end zone). Hopkins landed the ball like Phil Mickelson flop-wedging golf balls exactly where he wanted.