7:00 p.m.-BROWNS REMAIN MUM ON FREE-AGENT REPORTS
BEREA, Ohio -- In recent days, reports have surfaced about the Cleveland Browns’ interest in free-agent players like wide receiver Dez Bryant and cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones, and those persisted throughout the second day of training camp at the team’s Berea headquarters.
Browns coach Hue Jackson was asked about the reports Friday, and to avoid any tampering penalties from the league office, he kept the team’s cards close to the vest.
“I don’t know anything about that,” Jackson said. “I can only talk about players that are on our football team right now, so if that happens and we get other players on our team, trust me, I’ll be more than happy to answer any questions about those players at that time.”
Jackson has a relationship with Jones dating back to the time they spent together as assistant coach and player with the Cincinnati Bengals.
“Again, he’s not on our team right now, Jackson said. “I know what kind of player he is and what kind of person he is. If that happened, if he’s on our team, I’d love to have him on our team, but he’s not right now, so we’ll keep going from there.”
There was a little bit more smoke to one of the reports, as free-agent cornerback Bashaud Breeland was seen talking to Browns general manager John Dorsey on the sidelines during Friday’s practice.
During his four years with Washington, the 5-foot-11, 195-pound Breeland registered 270 total tackles, including 215 solo stops and 55 assists along with 60 passes defended and eight interceptions, which he returned for a combined total of 184 yards and one touchdown, a 96-yard score during the 2017 season.
“We’ve had a lot of people in and out of here,” Jackson said. “John’s done a good job that way. We have to do our due-diligence on anybody that can help our football team, but at the same time, they’re not here, so there’s no point in talking about them.
“We’re always looking for good players. We can’t get enough of those guys, guys that can make plays with the ball, so again, John’s just going to keep churning this thing as much as he can, keep finding talent and see if it fits for us.”
CHUBB IS VERSATILE
Despite sharing carries with Sony Michel, who was selected by the New England Patriots late in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the 5-foot-10, 225-pound Nick Chubb rushed for 4,769 yards and 44 touchdowns on 758 carries for the University of Georgia Bulldogs.
A native of Cedartown, Georgia, Chubb eclipsed the 200-carry and 1,000-yard marks in three of his four seasons “between the hedges,” and helped the Bulldogs reach the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Game back in January despite having a freshman quarterback at the helm of the offense.
“He’s a football player, a really good football player,” Jackson said. “I think there’s a lot to him, more so than what people think because he looks like the guy that comes downhill and here we go, but he’s got something. He’s got some versatility to him as well. There’s some real runner’s instincts that I see. I think he’s a talented runner. We’re going to find out more about him when these pads come on.”
PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
From an offseason tweet posted by linebacker Christian Kirksey to press conference comments from quarterback Tyrod Taylor and wide receiver Jarvis Landry, there has been plenty of talk about the Browns making the postseason in 2018.
But with the regular season still six weeks away, Jackson is focused on stacking up good days during training camp.
“We’ve got work to do,” Jackson said. “I love that our players are excited about the team that’s in the locker room, but at the same time, statements don’t mean anything. I support our players whole-heartedly, there’s no question about that, but this is so early in the game for us right now.
“What we need to do is put our heads down and just work, keep getting better as a football team each and every day, and hopefully, those things are a reality. You’ve got to believe something first before it ever happens. Our guys are saying those things, but at the same time, we’ve got to back it up. We’ve got to work.”
PEPPERS EXPECTED SOON
Prior to the start of training camp, the Browns announced that safety Jabrill Peppers would not be ready to go when practices started because of a groin injury. However, Jackson is confident Peppers will return to the team “sooner than later.”
“Hopefully, in the next week,” Jackson said. “I hope he’s back out there, but again, don’t hold me to that. There could be setbacks. It could be a lot of things, but he’s getting closer. I do know that.”
PADDED PRACTICES
Now that the acclimation days are complete, the Browns are free to begin holding fully-padded practices, which is exactly what they will do on Saturday afternoon.
“We’ve got work to do,” Jackson said. “That’s why we’re practicing. We’ve had two practices, but tomorrow, we get to put on the pads though. That’s what I told them after practice, ‘Get sleep and it turns up a little bit more.’ Guys get to bump into each other a little bit. We need to do that.”
3:15 p.m.-CHRISTIAN KIRKSEY REMAINS CONFIDENT CLEVELAND BROWNS CAN MAKE POSTSEASON IN 2018
BEREA, Ohio -- Linebacker Christian Kirksey is not one to backpedal, unless he is dropping into coverage that is.
Shortly after the conclusion of the offseason program, the veteran inside linebacker tweeted his belief that the Cleveland Browns would respond to only the second 0-16 in NFL history by qualifying for the postseason in 2018.
And there was no backing off of those comments on the second day of training camp in Berea.
“Just seeing the work ethic in these guys,” Kirksey said of what sparked the thought. “I’ve been here going on five years. This team we have right now is one of the better units I’ve been around.
“Just see the type of guys added onto the team -- the draft picks and all that -- it’s just a different feel. I think the coaching staff, the general manager -- everyone is on the same page. I was very confident in that tweet and I stick to it. I truly believe it.”
By going 0-16 last year, the Browns are on a 17-game losing streak and are a league-worst 1-31 since the opening game of 2016.
The Browns have not won on a Sunday afternoon since December 13, 2015. The 33 straight Sunday losses are an NFL record, and their 4-49 mark in the last 53 outings is the worst in the league in that four-year span.
Additionally, last season, the Browns set the record for the worst 28-game stretch in NFL history, as they “bested” the previous mark of 2-26 set by the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 1976-1977 seasons with a 1-27 mark that got four losses worse after Week 13.
In five seasons under the majority ownership of Dee and Jimmy Haslam, the Browns have posted an NFL-worst 15-65 record. Factoring in the remaining games of the 2012 season after the sale was approved at an NFL Owners Meeting in Chicago, the Browns have gone 19-70.
“I’m a confident guy, confident in my teammates and my brothers,” Kirksey said. “I don’t regret that tweet at all.
“I’m not too much worried about people’s opinions. I know what this team has and I know how hard we’re working. People can say ‘Oh, man, why did he make that tweet?’ or ‘They haven’t won a game.’ It’s my tweet and my page. I’m going to say what I feel. I really feel this team is heading in the right direction.”
Kirksey is no stranger to making guarantees.
Amid a 14-game losing streak to start the 2016 season, Kirksey said the Browns would not finish 0-16, and a win over the then-San Diego Chargers in the second-to-last game on the schedule indeed kept the team from going winless.
“I didn’t make this guarantee to match that one, but when I really feel something, I’m going to say it,” Kirksey said. “I’m confident in these guys. I’m a firm believer in if I put it out there, it begins to exist.
“I know a lot of people will say, ‘You haven’t won a game, this and that.’ If we keep that mindset, then we’re not going to win a game. You have to have that mindset where you’re going to compete. You’re going to win. As a competitor, that’s the attitude you have to have. I really believe we’re destined to win a lot of games.”
2:00 p.m.-DENZEL WARD: IT WAS A DREAM TO SIGN CLEVELAND BROWNS CONTRACT
BEREA, Ohio -- In the hours before the Cleveland Browns held their first meeting of training camp, they reached an agreement to sign cornerback Denzel Ward, whom they selected with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
And when Ward, a native of Macedonia, Ohio and graduate of Nordonia High School, took a moment to reflect on the achievement after putting his signature on the rookie contract, he understood it was the realization of a goal and the start of another journey.
“Man, it was a dream,” Ward said prior to Friday’s training-camp practice.
“Since I was a little kid, I always wanted to make it to the NFL and to get to this position that I’m at in my career and making it to the NFL and being able to sign an NFL contract, it’s just an exciting feeling, and I’m ready to get the work done.”
While the contract signing came down to the wire in terms of time before camp, Ward wanted the deal done ahead of the first practice.
“Yeah, it was very important to be out here on time because I wanted to make the conditioning test and be out here with the guys practicing, so I didn’t want to miss any time and I’m glad I got it finished before this,” Ward said.
Also, by signing the contract, Ward achieved another goal and was able to take care of his mother, Nicole.
“My mom has done a lot for me,” Ward said. “I’m already paying for her mortgage for her house and I’m going to pay that off, so whatever I can do to make things easier for my mom, I’m down to do it.”
Now that the business of football is done and out of the way, it is time for Ward to focus on his craft, just as he did during the offseason program, where he earned so much respect from the veterans that they met with defensive coordinator Gregg Williams to get him into the first-team lineup.
“That was definitely one of my goals to come out here and compete and show my teammates and coaches that I’ve got the ability to be able to be in the starting lineup and just prove it to them really,” Ward said.
“That is definitely a great compliment and I appreciate that, and I’ve just got to keep showing them that every day by working hard.”
Over 26 career games in three seasons with the Ohio State Buckeyes, Ward registered 47 solo tackles, 20 assists, two stops for lost yardage, two interceptions and 24 passes defended.
Playing behind first-round picks Gareon Conley and Marshon Lattimore in each of his first two years in Columbus, Ward blossomed into a No. 1 cornerback for the Buckeyes ahead of the 2017 season, and by the end of the year, was a consensus All-American in the secondary.
Ward finished his final season at Ohio State with 30 solo stops, seven assists, two tackles for lost yardage, two interceptions and 15 passes defended.
“I’m very comfortable in who I am as a player,” Ward said. “Those guys are elite players, great guys and players, but we all put our shoes on the same way, pants on and just come out here and work.
“I’ve just got a competitive nature to myself to come out here and compete and make plays and do all I can to help this team win.”
11:00 a.m.-BROWNS CONTINUE WORK IN TRAINING CAMP
BEREA, Ohio -- Finish strong.
That is exactly what Cleveland Browns coach Hue Jackson wanted to see during the first day of training camp, and now, he wants the players to stack up good days as preparation for the 2018 season continues at the team’s Berea headquarters Friday.
“Our guys did some good things, but it was the first day,” Jackson said after Thursday’s practice. “We have got a lot of work to do, keep moving forward and keep working hard. We have got to continue to learn how to finish on both sides of the ball and keep making plays, finishing in the fourth quarter.
“Like we did in that last part of practice, I started it over because I expect more from this group. They get it. We will just keep pushing and get to where we need to be.”
Although Jackson restarted the drill toward the end of practice because the results were not up to his liking, he was pleased with the way the players responded to that challenge and worked through some fatigue in a hot and humid day in Berea.
“They have not been pushed like this,” Jackson said. “This is pro football. You have to work through those things. For the most part, I think that our guys did some good things. I have a standard that I want these guys to attain each and every day. We just have to keep working towards it.”
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