Brendan Gulick reports the lastest on the Browns from Browns HQ in Berea.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:03 Well, hi, everybody, and welcome to Berea.
00:11 Brendan Gulick reporting from the Cleveland Browns training
00:13 facility with your daily practice report
00:16 here on Browns Digest.
00:18 It was a busy day, as Thursdays often are.
00:20 We get a chance to talk with a couple of players
00:22 in the locker room.
00:23 We hear from all three of the coordinators
00:25 and get a chance to watch about the first half an hour
00:27 of practice outside on an unseasonably warm day,
00:31 certainly warmer here in Cleveland today,
00:33 than it's going to be in Seattle this weekend when the Browns
00:36 head to the Pacific Northwest, where
00:37 they haven't won in a long time, to go take on the Seahawks.
00:42 Maybe, I guess, you could call it a little bit of a surprise.
00:44 I'm not sure we were expecting to hear from Deshaun Watson
00:47 today.
00:49 Deshaun eventually acknowledged that he
00:50 didn't think it was that big of a deal,
00:52 but he didn't talk yesterday and talk today.
00:54 He said in the past for him, it really
00:57 wasn't so much about speaking on any specific designated
01:00 day of the week, as long as he spoke at some point
01:03 during the week.
01:04 So maybe there was some miscommunication there,
01:06 because there was plenty made about him not talking yesterday
01:09 and PJ Walker being named the starting quarterback
01:11 for this week.
01:12 But Deshaun was gracious with his time today
01:14 and spoke to the media for almost 15 minutes
01:15 in the locker room and certainly fielded a lot of questions.
01:19 The first of which was basically on whether or not
01:22 he is frustrated by this whole situation and his desire
01:26 to get back on the field.
01:27 Here's what he had to say.
01:28 Are you by the situation?
01:31 What situation?
01:32 Just being injured in and out.
01:34 I mean, all I can really do is control it.
01:39 Right now, it's just rehabbing, trying
01:41 to come back as strong as possible,
01:43 as soon as I possibly can.
01:44 That's all I can do right now.
01:47 Deshaun, how much--
01:48 Did you rush it last week?
01:49 Oh, no.
01:50 I mean, the time limit for usually
01:52 rotating clubs are four to six weeks.
01:56 I felt during the week that I had the opportunity to play.
02:01 Right at that time of four--
02:02 three weeks, four weeks, I just didn't
02:06 have the strength and things like that
02:08 to be able to go out there and play four weeks of games.
02:12 The medical staff and Kevin decided to pull me out
02:16 so I don't do anything worse.
02:21 No, the Browns coaching staff and Deshaun, I think,
02:24 both have been consistent in their message
02:27 that they were all hopeful he was going
02:29 to be able to play last week and that he
02:31 would look much like himself.
02:34 Ultimately, he didn't.
02:36 And a lot of that was because of the fact
02:38 that he was injured and had to come back out of the game.
02:42 This is obviously a touchy subject right now.
02:45 Browns fans want to see Deshaun on the field.
02:47 He's been medically cleared to play.
02:49 And so the question is, well, should we
02:52 be questioning his toughness?
02:54 Should we question his desire to play?
02:56 Deshaun has basically said, look,
02:57 none of that is even relevant right now.
02:59 Of course I want to play.
03:00 If I don't actually say something,
03:02 then don't worry about what other people are saying
03:04 or what other people think or put out there.
03:07 I'm trying to work my way back out onto the field.
03:09 We've got a really close, tight locker room.
03:11 And the guys have been really cool about making sure
03:13 that I know that they've got my back.
03:15 And pretty much to a man, everybody
03:17 has said that publicly in the locker room
03:20 when they've been asked about the situation
03:22 and the frustration around the cohesion of what
03:24 is out on the field.
03:25 So internally, there's not a lot of turmoil.
03:28 It's certainly more frustration maybe for the fan base,
03:32 for sure.
03:34 In terms of some additional clarity on exactly what
03:37 happened on Sunday, Kevin Stefanski
03:40 alluded to this a little bit.
03:41 But perhaps there was some miscommunication
03:43 because of the report on the TV broadcast.
03:46 And so DeSean will shine a little bit of light on this.
03:48 But he didn't even realize when he was pulled off the field
03:51 after the hit that knocked him out of the game,
03:53 he did not realize that he was going
03:55 to be evaluated for a concussion until several minutes
03:57 after the fact because he had already been cleared
04:00 from the shoulder standpoint.
04:01 So here's DeSean addressing that part of the game.
04:04 I guess you cleared a concussion test or whatever.
04:07 At what point, though, during that evaluation,
04:10 did the shoulder become the concern and not
04:13 a potential head injury?
04:15 The concern was the shoulder in general.
04:18 I didn't know about the concussion
04:19 until I went in the second time.
04:21 So I spotted from up top.
04:24 And the lady came down.
04:25 And that's when they-- when I came out,
04:27 then I went back in, that's when we did the confession.
04:30 I was surprised, too.
04:31 I didn't know that was a confession.
04:32 Because the whole time when I was down,
04:34 when the docs came over, we were speaking on the shoulder.
04:36 So yeah, I cleared that then.
04:40 And I tried to go back in.
04:42 And then Kevin, ADP, and the docs came over and spoke to me.
04:45 And I wanted to go back in.
04:47 But it's a team decision.
04:51 And I felt like, of course, being a competitor,
04:54 I wanted to play and try to push it through.
04:56 But at the same time, like I said before many times,
05:00 where was going to be the best situation for the team?
05:02 And the team was the best situation.
05:06 DeSean Watson's made it clear he doesn't
05:08 want to handicap the offense.
05:10 And ultimately, the decision was a collective one.
05:14 I'm sure he wanted to be out there.
05:16 He even acknowledged, I would rather be playing than not
05:18 playing.
05:19 But Kevin Stefanski shouldered it this week and said,
05:22 ultimately, it's my decision.
05:23 And I thought it was best for PJ Walker
05:26 to go out and run the show offensively
05:28 and give DeSean more time to get 100%.
05:32 So that's basically the latest info
05:34 that we can give you that's legitimate from DeSean,
05:37 from Kevin Stefanski, from the Browns themselves,
05:40 beyond what you might be reading or seeing out
05:42 in the social media sphere, for sure.
05:45 We also talked with Amari Cooper,
05:47 with Denzel Ward, and Joel Batonio today in the locker room.
05:50 And if you're interested, those interviews
05:52 are available on our Browns Digest YouTube channel.
05:54 So if you subscribe to the channel,
05:56 you can check out some content from those there.
05:58 We also had a chance to talk with the three coordinators
06:00 today, Bubba Ventrone, Alex Van Pelt, and Jim Schwartz.
06:03 We've got cuts from a couple of those that we'll share with you,
06:06 not one from Bubba Ventrone today.
06:08 Although I do think the two most notable things-- one,
06:11 he was exceptionally complimentary of Seattle's
06:14 special teams unit.
06:16 Their field goal unit is terrific.
06:17 Jason Myers is one of the best kickers in the league.
06:20 They've got a really, really good punt unit, for sure.
06:24 Seattle is no joke when it comes to playing the field position
06:27 game.
06:27 They're very good at it.
06:28 And so he knows the Browns have to be at their absolute best.
06:31 They often start periods of practice
06:34 once you get through the stretching parts
06:36 with some special teams work.
06:38 And today, the Browns were outside with music blaring
06:43 on speakers on a cart right behind the punt unit
06:47 to try to simulate what they're expecting to see this weekend
06:50 as best they can.
06:50 So they are certainly focused on what they're
06:54 going to see up in Seattle.
06:55 Thankfully, right now, it looks like it's
06:57 going to be sunny and dry but cool in Seattle this weekend
07:02 as the Browns go take on a really determined Seahawks
07:05 team.
07:06 Obviously, Dustin Hopkins is continuing to kick really well,
07:08 and that's great.
07:10 And Corey Bohorkas has done a terrific job
07:12 as the team's punter this year.
07:13 So Bubba Ventrone's special teams unit is flying high.
07:17 He also touched a little bit on Miles Garrett
07:19 and the terrific field goal block.
07:20 He said the play they called to block that field goal,
07:23 they actually called it indie.
07:25 It was a play they specifically put in for this past week.
07:28 He said, I've always got things up my sleeve,
07:29 but you try to pick the right times to call things.
07:32 And that was obviously one of the big Browns highlights
07:35 of the season.
07:36 Moving to Alex Van Pelt, the team's offensive coordinator.
07:38 Obviously, he was asked an awful lot of questions
07:40 about Deshaun Watson.
07:42 I suppose maybe my biggest takeaway from that,
07:45 AVP said, look, I can really identify and sympathize
07:48 with what he's going through.
07:49 Because when I played, I also had some frustrating moments
07:52 with a shoulder injury where I couldn't quite drive the ball
07:55 to where I wanted to go.
07:56 And he goes, nobody wants it more than Deshaun.
07:58 And us as a staff, for him to be healthy and get back out there,
08:01 because we know what he's capable of when he's at his best.
08:04 And I know the Browns are really looking forward
08:06 to that manifesting itself here sooner than later.
08:09 That said, the team is also, maybe a bit surprisingly
08:12 to some folks, without Nick Chubb,
08:14 the team has continued to run the football well.
08:16 First two weeks of the season, pretty gaudy rushing numbers.
08:19 Obviously, Nick Chubb a big part of that.
08:21 Chubb gets hurt.
08:22 Browns in week three and in week four
08:23 didn't run the ball quite as well.
08:25 The last two weeks, though, obviously
08:27 a big, long, explosive touchdown run from Jerome Ford.
08:30 Kareem Hunt is working his way back
08:31 from being a little bit banged up.
08:34 Obviously, Ford is on the shelf right now with an ankle injury.
08:37 And so that room is a bit thin.
08:38 But I asked AVP today about the success of the running game
08:42 as a whole, because right now they are second in the league
08:45 in running the football.
08:46 Alex, I want to ask you about the rushing attack.
08:49 Obviously, the first couple of weeks with Nick healthy,
08:52 there were some big numbers.
08:53 But that room's obviously gotten a little bit thinner.
08:55 And yet still effective, efficient right now,
08:58 number two in the AFC rushing ball.
09:00 What do you generally attribute your rushing success
09:03 as a team to right now?
09:04 It's a team stat for all of us.
09:07 That's receivers on the perimeter.
09:08 That's everybody up front.
09:09 That's the runners.
09:11 We've always ran the ball well here.
09:13 Coach Callahan has great scheme, great technique in his teaching.
09:18 It's definitely a strength of ours.
09:20 And then the guys that step in, Kareem really ran hard.
09:23 The last two games, I was really proud of the way he's running the ball.
09:27 And then Pierre comes in, and he hits a couple big ones in that two-minute drive.
09:31 Jerome, the same thing there.
09:33 So it's a little bit by committee right now, but that's fine.
09:36 We've got three backs right now.
09:38 We'll get Jerome back.
09:38 We'll have some guys up this week.
09:41 But I think it's a little bit everything.
09:43 We run the ball well.
09:44 I think it's well coached here through scheme and technique, and our guys buy in.
09:51 Well, the Browns as a team certainly have
09:53 done a nice job of running the football collectively,
09:56 because it's clearly been one of those things where it can't just
10:00 be one guy trying to shoulder the load in a situation
10:04 where the room is dealt with injuries the way that they have.
10:08 So looking forward to seeing how the Browns try
10:09 to run the football up in Seattle on Sunday.
10:12 And the reality is they're going to face a Seahawks defense that's
10:15 really clicking right now.
10:17 Since week four, Seattle has given up the fewest yards
10:20 in the NFL defensively.
10:22 None of their last three opponents have eclipsed 250 total yards of offense
10:27 in either of those last three games.
10:30 They're playing very well.
10:31 Bobby Wagner leading the way, a guy who's been in the NFL forever.
10:34 And ABP said, you know, he's kind of haunted me.
10:37 I feel like I've had an awful lot of really tough battles against him.
10:41 The report out of Seattle today is that they've
10:43 signed Frank Clark to potentially play defensive end maybe even as soon
10:46 as this weekend.
10:47 So certainly with Draymond Jones as well, they've got some real depth
10:52 and some really tough defensive players that the Browns are going
10:55 to have to deal with on Sunday.
10:57 Moving finally to Jim Schwartz, who obviously was gracious with his time
11:01 again with the media today.
11:02 He's always fun to chat with and listen to his thoughts
11:05 on the way this team is performing.
11:08 You know, he called Miles Garrett's performance last week one
11:10 for the ages.
11:12 He also pointed out individually that he thought Jordan Elliott was playing
11:15 perhaps the best football that he's played since he's come to Cleveland
11:19 and said he's made huge strides forward.
11:21 But at the end of the day, it's about the fact that they're 4-2.
11:24 He said he's not going to get out of character in that regard.
11:27 He also basically said, you know, look, it
11:30 wasn't one of our best performances last weekend for sure.
11:33 He said it was a little bit like if you want to use a baseball analogy,
11:36 since the World Series is coming, he goes,
11:38 maybe you go 0 for 3 during the game with three strikeouts.
11:41 Then you come up in the eighth inning and you hit a three run home run.
11:44 And you can still make that big play late.
11:47 He said we kind of try to put out fires one at a time
11:50 throughout the course of the game.
11:52 And every time we did, another one would pop up.
11:55 And it was a bit frustrating.
11:56 But ultimately, they competed hard enough and made plays late.
12:00 And he acknowledged that the one area the defense hasn't been particularly
12:04 productive this year was in turnovers.
12:07 That was huge in their favor this past Sunday in Indianapolis
12:10 with the Browns forcing a bunch of turnovers
12:12 and actually winning the turnover battle for the first time here in 2023.
12:16 So pleased in that regard.
12:18 Last week, the team saw Gardner Minshew,
12:21 who has had some magical moments for sure,
12:24 but is not necessarily a super long savvy veteran in the NFL.
12:28 This week, they're going to play against a quarterback in Geno
12:31 Smith, who is one of the longest tenured players in the league.
12:34 He's seen a lot of different defenses.
12:37 He obviously was the NFL's comeback player of the year last year.
12:41 And there are certainly reasons to think Geno Smith is
12:44 having a good year again this year.
12:45 Jim Schwartz, very complimentary of what he's seen from Geno.
12:49 What do you see out of Geno Smith?
12:52 I see a veteran player that's sort of survived
12:55 some of the bumps of some early setbacks.
12:59 I think he's an inspiration to a lot of players
13:01 that don't have immediate success.
13:04 But his stick-to-it-edness, his ability to keep working, persevere,
13:10 and obviously improve have shown these last couple of years.
13:15 I remember having a conversation with him after a game.
13:18 He was playing with the Jets, and he was back up and hadn't played.
13:23 And I told him, I said, "Look, eventually you're going to get another chance.
13:28 Make sure you're ready for it."
13:29 Because I had played him a couple times early in his career,
13:32 and he certainly has.
13:35 We're going to have our work cut out for him.
13:36 He's throwing the ball very well.
13:38 He's really efficient, very accurate with his passes,
13:41 high completion percentage.
13:44 And I think that he's really a good role model,
13:51 a good inspiration for a lot of players
13:53 that may have struggled early in their career.
13:56 And if they stay on track and keep improving,
13:59 that they can eventually have success.
14:03 It's such a great point.
14:04 In Seattle, even the roster makeup is interesting,
14:08 because they have 15 rookies on their 53-man roster, which
14:13 is tied for the most in the NFL.
14:16 But they've also got some guys much like Geno Smith, Bobby Wagner,
14:20 who have been in this league for a very long time.
14:23 You've obviously got a head coach in Pete Carroll,
14:26 and a staff that have been in this league for a long time.
14:30 And so there's this mix of veteran presence
14:33 and inexperienced, although I don't know
14:36 if I would call it youth, where I think Seattle is learning
14:40 along the way as they're going.
14:41 And a player like Geno Smith, a player like Bobby Wagner,
14:45 who can be the focal point on both sides of the ball for them,
14:48 can be huge in terms of trying to build something
14:51 that's really sustainable.
14:52 The reality is Geno Smith, he's got some skill position guys
14:56 that are having really good years.
14:57 Kenneth Walker, again, as a running back,
14:59 has played really well.
15:00 He's tough to tackle.
15:02 And at wide receiver, you're talking
15:04 about a group that's pretty dangerous when
15:06 they're fully healthy.
15:07 We'll see if DK Metcalf is able to play this weekend.
15:09 Obviously, he's a stud.
15:11 Ty Lockett's been in the league for a long time now.
15:13 And Jackson Smith and Jigba is working his way
15:16 onto the scene of boatload of talent
15:18 for a guy that played really well as one of Ohio State's
15:21 best receivers in school history.
15:23 And he scored a touchdown for the first time
15:25 in the NFL last weekend.
15:27 So Geno Smith leading an offense that is clicking.
15:29 And they're coming off of a nice victory on Sunday last weekend.
15:33 All right, so that wraps it up here for our Thursday coverage
15:36 from Berea.
15:37 Tomorrow, we are expecting to hear again
15:39 on a normal Friday from a couple of assistant coaches.
15:42 At approximately 10:20 AM Eastern time tomorrow,
15:45 Scott Peters, the assistant offensive line coach,
15:47 will join the media at the podium.
15:50 And Brandon Lynch, the cornerbacks coach,
15:51 will also speak tomorrow.
15:53 At that point, then the team will break away for practice
15:56 at roughly 1130.
15:58 And when practice wraps up, Kevin Stefanski
16:00 will talk afterwards.
16:01 He'll give us the final thoughts.
16:03 They're going into game week.
16:04 And then the locker room will be open to speak
16:06 with a couple more players tomorrow afternoon.
16:08 For all the latest coverage on the Cleveland Browns,
16:10 we hope you'll subscribe to this YouTube channel.
16:12 We bring you lots of press conferences, media
16:15 availabilities, and stand-ups just like this
16:17 so that we can give you the latest news from the team.
16:19 And certainly for all the latest written info,
16:21 head over to BrownsDigest.com.
16:23 I'm Brendan Gulick reporting in Berea.
16:25 We'll see you soon over on Browns Digest.
16:28 [BLANK_AUDIO]