Getting the ball to Cedric Tillman and other wide receivers would be a welcome change in the Browns' offense under new play-caller Tommy Rees. (Cleveland Browns)
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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.
How different might the Browns’ anemic offense look with coordinator Tommy Rees taking over play-calling duties from head coach Kevin Stefanski?
“I would think every play-caller is going to have a different feel, a different spin on things,” Rees said. “They’re going to have things that they value, things that they want to get to. Kevin and I are not the same person. Although … we have enough in our offense to make it look different in spots. We have enough depth in what we’re asking those guys to do to make it look different. But I think some of the core principles continue on. We just have to do them at a higher level.”
Rees, 33, was hired by Stefanski in 2024 as tight ends coach. He was promoted to coordinator this year to replace fired Ken Dorsey.
This will be Rees’ first test calling plays at the NFL level. He called plays under Brian Kelly at Notre Dame and Nick Saban at Alabama.
“I started calling plays the last game of the season in 2019,” Rees said. “I had a handful of years there in a row calling them. Called them in big games, called them in games people didn’t watch, everywhere in between. Worked for two head coaches that are pretty intense on game day, so obviously you learned how to block out some noise, some friendly fire there. But I think you get into a groove, you get into a comfort level. So much of it is about learning your own team, learning your own quarterback.”
Rees said he will call plays from the coaches booth upstairs because “it’s a great vantage point to be able to call the game … a great environment to be able to call a game, and it’s where my comfort’s been.”
What will be the hallmark of an offensive game called by Rees?
“I’m not going to put any labels on it,” he said. “We want to go out there and play sound football, put our players in the right spots and have success. Look, we got to score points, we got to stay on the offense.
“We want to maximize the guys we have, and that’s a little different. First year I called plays at Notre Dame looks different than when I was at Alabama. You’re trying to maximize the guys you have on the roster.”
Myles’ frustration
Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said he understood the frustration Myles Garrett felt when he was taken out of the New England game at the 2-minute warning with the outcome long decided.
“Guys want sacks and interceptions and things like that,” Schwartz said. “I appreciate the competitiveness of him. Also [I] 100% see where Kevin [Stefanski] was with it. You know, the game’s over, let’s protect our players.”
Schwartz gave some insight into why playing the full game was meaningful for Garrett, whose five sacks of Drake Maye were buried in the 32-13 loss to the Patriots.
“The week before that game, [Garrett] took every single practice round. Every single,” Schwartz said. “And he had told [defensive line coach] Jacques [Cesaire], ‘Hey, I wasn’t happy with my performance the week before. You’re not taking me out of practice this week.’
“I think that sends a strong message. And, you know, it’s a difficult thing to do during the week, to take every single rep, but I appreciated him doing that. I think it showed on that Sunday.”
They said it couldn’t be done
The Browns were the first team this season to recover an onside kick in the New England game. The Bengals were the second team a week later.
Rules changes to reduce higher-speed collisions and the modified kickoff rule, which requires a team to announce its intention to try an onside kick, have put a greater premium on luck than ever.
Kicker Andre Szmyt got the ball to make a big hop at the 10-yard mark and Gage Larvadain leaped to snag the ball in the air.
The Browns practice the onside kick at least once a week. They have “a couple tools in the toolbox,” Szmyt said. Punter Corey Bojorquez attempted an onside kick that was recovered by New England before Szmyt’s successful one.
Brownie bits
Linebacker Carson Schwesinger confirmed he suffered a high ankle sprain in the Patriots game. It’s usually a minimum three-week injury, and often 4-6 weeks, but Schwesinger said, “I’m trying to get as good as I can to get back as fast as possible.” Schwesinger leads the Browns with 64 tackles and made his first NFL interception before the injury. He also relays the defensive signals and serves as the QB of the defense. Schwartz indicated Mohamoud Diabate, Devin Bush and Jerome Baker could be used to fill Schwesinger’s role …
Shedeur Sanders (back) was upgraded to full participation at practice, increasing the likelihood he would return as QB2 against the Jets …
Tight end Harold Fannin (hamstring) joined receiver Isaiah Bond (foot) and Schwesinger (ankle) as DNPs.