Last week, Amari Cooper's game came back. Now the white helmets are back. The Browns will wear them with their throwback uniforms in Las Vegas on Sunday. (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.
Takeaways from Browns practice and interviews …
The mystery of Myles Garrett’s multiple lower-leg injuries has been revealed.
On the Browns’ pre-practice injury report, Garrett was a DNP with feet (plural), thigh and Achilles injuries.
And yet … “I don’t see him being ruled out,” coach Kevin Stefanski said.
The NFL defensive player-of-the-year has been playing with the feet injuries since Game 1. Last week he spoke about the feet issues, which go back to his childhood when he had surgery to correct fallen arches. But after visiting the med tent on two occasions against the Giants last week, Garrett disclosed he also was dealing with multiple injuries, but wouldn’t elaborate.
Garrett’s snap counts have declined from 48 in the opener, or 76% of the total defensive plays, to 41 snaps in Game 2 (68%). He played 42 snaps in Game 3, but his overall play time was down to 58%.
Throughout his career, Garrett has been on the field for approximately 80% of his defensive team’s plays.
Stefanski was asked if there is a discussion to be had about shutting down Garrett for a game or two now to manage him through the long season.
“Yeah, obviously you would be smart if there’s ever a decision to be made with every player,” Stefanski said. “I feel like Myles is determined to continue to play. He’s working through injuries like a lot of guys, and he’s played through injury in his past. But of course, you’d always make smart decisions with your players.”
It’s coincidental that the quarterback awaiting Garrett and the Browns’ defense in Las Vegas on Sunday is Gardner Minshew.
Playing for the Colts last season, Minshew accounted for four touchdowns – two throwing and two running – but the Browns prevailed, 39-38, largely on the yeoman efforts of Garrett.
Garrett had 9 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 stripped fumbles – 1 recovered in the end zone for a Cleveland touchdown -- and a blocked field goal in the narrow win.
I contended at the time the game might carry Garrett to his first DPOY award, and it did. He won the award for the first time despite 3-year lows in sacks, QB pressures and tackles.
‘I’m not a running quarterback’
Deshaun Watson reiterated that despite 16 sacks and 42 hits in 3 games, he won’t hesitate to “make something happen” by extending a play and running with the ball.
But he doesn’t want those runs to be the result of designed play-calls.
“I’m not going in there to ask them for more designed runs,” he said. “If I don’t have to run, I’m not going to run. So, I’m not trying to take any hits.”
Why not some designed runs to keep the defense from teeing off on every snap?
“Because I’m not a running quarterback, in a sense,” he answered. “I can make things happen, but I’m not trying to run. I’m not a running back. It’s not my specialty. They signed me to throw the ball, make decisions, and be a quarterback, not a runner.”
Watson scored a touchdown in the Jacksonville game on a designed run, a QB draw, from the 1-yard line.
Designed runs were parts of the game plans with Cam Newton in Carolina and Josh Allen in Buffalo when coordinator Ken Dorsey coached those dual threats. Dorsey’s experience with those QBs was a large reason he was tabbed to replace the fired Alex Van Pelt.
Once again, Watson was asked if the threat of his running -- which could be accentuated by a few, safe designed runs – might relieve some pass pressure on him.
“I mean, it can. It possibly can, so I won’t say that it won’t help out the offense as far as just the run game,” he said. “But I mean, coming back from an injury I don’t think that is high priority for Kevin to put me in that situation because go out there, and in design run and something happens, then it’s like you’re mad at Kevin. So I feel like it’s a lose-lose situation.”
Offensive line carousel
At this point in the work week, the only strong probability is that rookie Zak Zinter will replace Wyatt Teller at right guard. Teller (knee) was put on injured reserve.
The rest of the offensive line makeup is anyone’s guess.
“Like I’ve mentioned to you guys before, with any injury and particularly with big men, you want to make sure they practice when they do practice, how they feel, those type of things. So, hard to say just yet,” Stefanski said.
The latest:
Tackles Jedrick Wills (knee) and Jack Conklin (hamstring) did not practice.
Tackles James Hudson (shoulder) and Dawand Jones (knee) were limited.
The Browns finished the Giants game with Joel Bitonio at left tackle. Could Bitonio be prepped this week for more play time at left tackle – a prospect the guard emphatically stated was “Plan Double Z” in training camp?
“That is an option for us, but we’ll see,” Stefanski said.
Brownie bits
Jerome Ford (knee) and Pierre Strong (hamstring) – the top two running backs – did not practice ….
Tight end David Njoku (ankle) did not practice. Stefanski wouldn’t rule him out, but he hasn’t practiced for two weeks. Wouldn’t seem able to get ready in just two practices …
Guard-tackle Germain Ifedi was signed to the active roster off the practice squad. He had only one more elevation left if he’d remained on the practice squad …
The Browns added two more linemen to their practice squad – Sebastian Gutierrez and Ricky Lee – and defensive end Elerson Smith. At the same time, they released linebacker Luiji Vilain from the practice squad.