Shedeur Sanders commanded the attention of coach Kevin Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry for an entire practice period on Saturday. Could there be changes forthcoming in Sanders' reps when practice resumes on Monday? (Nick Carlucci/ESPN Cleveland)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns and NFL analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
On the fourth day of training camp – the last before the first off day – the Browns’ offensive players reacquainted themselves with an important piece of real estate.
The end zone.
Kevin Stefanski added extra red zone periods to help promote some touchdowns. It worked.
The previous two days, the Browns’ quarterback quartet had a combined 25 snaps in red zone drills and they produced only one touchdown. On Saturday, three of the quarterbacks combined for six touchdowns. Joe Flacco was the only one denied a scoring toss.
Speaking before the 70-minute practice, Stefanski said, “When you go out to practice, everything’s competitive. So offensive guys want to have success, defensive guys want to have success. Sometimes it goes back and forth in a practice. It’s hard when you’re not in pads yet to get a full picture of what that success maybe looks like.
“But we’re not in the [competitive] mode, while we compete every single day. We’re in the mode of teaching and learning right now on both sides of the ball. So, I’m pleased with the effort. It’s not near as clean as it needs to be on both sides of the ball.”
The QB tracker
Joe Flacco did not participate in an 11-on-11 period. He was with the second team in his first red-zone period and with the first team in the second. He was 4 of 8.
Kenny Pickett commanded the first team in two periods and the second team in one. He was 6 of 10 with two TDs to tight ends Brenden Bates and Blake Whiteheart.
Dillon Gabriel had two stints with the first team. He was 8 of 15 with a touchdown to receiver DeAndre Carter, who made a nice toe-tap in bounds for the second day in a row for the score.
Shedeur Sanders had one period with the second team. He was 8 of 11 with three touchdowns, to Diontae Johnson, Kent State’s Luke Floriea, and Cade McDonald.
A new development occurred when the offense was split into the “two spot” period. Usually, Flacco and Pickett share one field and Gabriel and Sanders share the other. On Saturday, however, Gabriel joined Flacco and Pickett, and Sanders took reps on a separate field.
More interesting, perhaps, was the fact that Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry moved to that field and fixed their eyes on Sanders.
This may have something to do with the fact the Browns will reassess how they distribute reps in a meeting on Sunday, the players’ first day off.
On Friday, quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave said, “I don't know if there'll be any earth-shattering or earth-shaking changes. I think it'll be a lot of ‘more of the same.’ All four guys are really making good progress and Tommy [Rees, offensive coordinator] and Kevin are doing a great job of getting everybody their looks.”
On Saturday, though, Stefanski wouldn’t promise anything.
“It remains to be seen,” the coach said of possible changes in the QB distribution. “I think we still need to rep everybody and get everybody ready for the preseason for this season. So, I want to get through today’s practice and take in all the information, see how guys are performing at all positions. And then that’s when we kind of get into the nitty-gritty of who’s going where and with what groups. But I can’t promise you anything on Monday. We’ll see how it looks.”
Somebody’s noticing
Lest you think defensive tackle Mason Graham is the most overlooked No. 5 overall draft choice in history, take note of this.
Earlier this week, cornerback Denzel Ward was asked which new player he was most looking forward to seeing break out on the practice field.
‘I’m looking for Mason Graham,” Ward said without hesitation. “I’m looking for him to get in that backfield. I’m not trying to cover for too long out there. He’s got to help out my guy Myles [Garrett] on the D-line. So, definitely Mason.”
When told of Ward’s answer, Graham said, “That means a lot. I've been working hard, you know, just like everyone else. I want to be a player for this team that can make an impact right away.”
Defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire said, “Mason looks great, and the thing I can say about Mason is you can tell right away that he’s a professional. He came back, he’s in great shape, he takes great notes, asks great questions, answers his questions that he’s supposed to, and he’s really starting to understand the scheme. So, I’m really happy with his progress since rookie minicamp to OTAs, to now, and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do for us.”
A good first year from the rookie from Michigan probably would benefit Garrett as much as anyone, because having a quality, penetrating tackle lining up next to Garrett should reduce double- and triple-teams off Garrett.
“From what I’ve seen this offseason, I think he’s worked his ass off,” Garrett said. “ I’ve seen him in multiple different places, whether it’s [at the] Pass Rush Summit, in Houston, with Maliek [Collins], back up here. After that, he’s put in the work and he’s really dedicated to the craft. So I really believe that he’ll get out there and make a hell of an impact very early.”
Graham said he’s adjusting from the read-and-react system he played in at Michigan. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz wants Graham to attack the quarterback, which would seem to be a more desirable assignment for Graham. But he says there’s an adjustment.
“I just feel like within the technique there's little things [to adjust to], like not stopping your feet,” he said. “A lot of times in read-and-react defense, you stop your feet on contact and brace for the double team. Here, you’re taught to keep running your feet non-stop.
“It's really just the muscle memory of what I've been doing the past few years. So it’s trying not to revert to how I was raised.”
I would think his first NFL quarterback sack would wipe out that old Michigan muscle memory.
Brownie bits
The first week of camp is controlled by modifications in the CBA. For instance, the Browns didn’t conduct a one-on-one period (receivers v. defensive backs) until Day 3 because teams aren’t allowed to wear shells underneath their jerseys until the third day. Monday will be the Browns’ first practice in full pads. Teams are limited to a maximum of 16 padded practices, but no more than two days in a row. Stefanski said he would use the maximum of 16 …
Not practicing were running back Jerome Ford (undisclosed injury, but “progressing nicely,” per the coach), receiver Michael Woods (hand), and cornerback Tony Brown (undisclosed) …
Receiver Cedric Tillman was back at practice after leaving Friday’s early with a lower leg injury after landing awkwardly going up for a pass. Tillman needs to be on the field as much as possible …
Right tackle Jack Conklin participated only in individual drills. He was replaced in team drills by Jackson Barton.