INDIANAPOLIS — Andrew Berry was front and center yesterday at the NFL Scouting Combine. He shared news about QB Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns' summer plans for training camp. You see, we crave any kind of Browns news at this time of the year. We haven't heard much from Berea since the playoff loss to the Texans.
On Deshaun Watson
He is recovering nicely from shoulder surgery. He will begin throwing in March and the Browns don't see much, if any, of a delay in his workload once the team begins the offseason program.
Now my thoughts on this
All of this sounds good, but something else has hit me. I feel a Watson "fatigue" around Browns fans going into his third season with the team. And I totally get it. After all, he's only played in 11 games since the blockbuster deal and contract were hatched. Browns fans keep waiting for him to take over the team, but there's always something stopping that from happening. The 11-game suspension and the shoulder injury are the culprits.
The other reason for the shine coming off the Watson deal is Joe Flacco. Flacco thrilled us, leading the Browns to four amazing wins and a playoff spot. Flacco's Comeback Player of the Year journey made a lot of Browns fans forget about Watson. Suffice to say, Watson needs to play next year and needs a full season for him to regain his spot in the NFL's Quarterback Club and in the hearts of Browns fans.
The Browns are Greenbrier-bound again
If something works, then do it again. The eight practices last July at the Greenbrier Resort helped the chemistry of the Browns as a team probably more than it helped the football goal. The Browns players complained for two years that the team lacked chemistry. Well, playing shuffleboard and ping pong for a week and a half really brought this team "together." And it really was visible when you watched them on the field.
The Vikings are coming...the Vikings are coming
Once the Browns come home from West Virginia, they'll have joint practices with the Minnesota Vikings. In the last two camps, the Browns have gone against the Eagles and have come away both times saying they were a better team and more prepared for the regular season. Plus, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is the General Manager of the Vikings. Remember, he was Andrew Berry's right-hand man here in Cleveland before getting the Vikings job.
The joint practices work well as long as it's football going on out on the field and not fights. The coaches really need to control those practices, or bad stuff happens and you end up losing players to injury.
Berry's report card
Andrew Berry is a smart guy in these settings. He speaks well and doesn't slip and let something out of the bag. In the media, we want him to give us steak in his press conferences; instead, we get a salad. I get it.
Final thought
We need to hear that Berry and Kevin Stefanski get new contracts. They've been a great team. They are deserving of new deals because they've improved this team, and two playoff appearances in four years need to be rewarded. I'm hoping that news comes soon. Stefanski is at the podium today, and I'll see you tonight on 3News!
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