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RECAP: Cleveland Browns go into day off with strong practice

Follow along for live updates throughout Day Five of Training Camp for the Cleveland Browns.
Credit: Matt Florjancic, WKYC Digital Sports
Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Shon Coleman (72) blocks an edge rush from defensive end Nate Orchard (44) during a drill on the fourth day of training camp in Berea.

6:30 p.m.-JACKSON SHOWS TRUST IN BROWNS, FORGOES CURFEW AHEAD OF OFF DAY

BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns will get a collectively-bargained day off Tuesday after five straight days of work, including a pair to fully-padded practices, at the start of training camp.

Although in the midst of training camp, Browns coach Hue Jackson elected not to give the players a curfew Monday night, choosing instead to remind his charges to “be smart” in their time away from the facility and be ready to work when the team reconvenes for on-field work at team headquarters Wednesday.

“I trust them now,” Jackson said in his post-practice press conference.

“You have to trust them. It is their day off. I trust them with my phone really close to me, but I do trust our guys. Our guys understand that there are some things that we do not tolerate. They get it.”

Following Monday’s practice, Jackson held a longer-than-normal full-team meeting with the players and reinforced the importance to come back focused and ready to work.

“’Be smart tonight. We need you all back,’ and I just think that is always a lesson for our players,” Jackson said of his message to the team.

“’When you get a chance to have some free time, what do you do with it?’ I would hope these guys -- if we did not do our job as coaches, they will be out -- and hopefully, we have, and they will rest. Hopefully, we have pushed them pretty good, and they need some rest for their bodies.”

While players understand there is no such thing as a bad time for a break, especially during a three-week training camp ahead of the 2018 regular season, Jackson feels the team goes into the off day on a good note and wished he could keep going with the on-field work.

“I would keep practicing to be honest with you,” Jackson said.

“I think we were finding a groove there a little bit. I think the players appreciate the rules and how the CBA works. As coaches, we wish we could keep going. They need it. They probably need to get away from us for a little bit. We will see them around the building. At the same time, the rest comes, as you said, at a good time.”

Credit: Matt Florjancic, WKYC Digital Sports
Cleveland Browns Coach Hue Jackson holds a meeting with the team at the end of practice on Day Five of Training Camp at the team's Berea headquarters.

CHUBB SHOWING UP IN PRACTICE

Browns rookie running back Nick Chubb is not big on talking, not when there is work to be done, and the man known as “Old School” by his teammates for his approach to the game has made an early impression on the coaches.

“Nick has had a good camp,” Jackson said. “The running backs -- Carlos (Hyde), Duke (Johnson Jr.) and Nick -- have all done a good job. They are picking up the system well, making plays. If he is having a good day, somebody is blocking for him too. The offensive line did some good things as well.”

Credit: Matt Florjancic, WKYC Digital Sports
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb hustles his way through a drill during the first day of training camp at the team's Berea headquarters Thursday.

COLEMAN STACKS UP GOOD DAYS

The key to a strong training camp performance is the ability to stack up good days of practice, and that is exactly what wide receiver Corey Coleman has been able to do in recent days.

Knowing there is an opportunity to earn playing time because of the absence of Josh Gordon and Ricardo Louis’ season-ending neck surgery, Coleman fought to get onto the field Sunday, forgoing a scheduled rest day, and not only shined in that practice, but also, on Monday.

“I think that his confidence is growing,” Jackson said. “Corey is a confident player anyway. This is Year Three and the fifth day in this, and he just kind of understands that you have to grind through it. He has done that. I have been really impressed. He has come out every day, been a little sore, but has fought through it and went out and made plays.”

Credit: Matt Florjancic, WKYC Digital Sports
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Corey Coleman jumps to make a catch during a drill on Day Five of Training Camp at the team's Berea headquarters.

NJOKU HAS CONFIDENCE OF COACHES

Much like his first training camp last summer, tight end David Njoku has struggled to catch the ball consistently, and Sunday’s practice was full of passes hitting the ground or getting knocked out of his hands by the defense.

Following Sunday’s practice, Jackson pulled aside Njoku and tried to raise his spirtis.

“He needs to know that I have confidence in him,” Jackson said.

“I know the kind of player that he can be, but there is so much work that he has to do to be what I think he wants to be. In order to do that, every day you have got to be focused, determined and disciplined. He has to work at that every day, and I think that he did today.”

Credit: Matt Florjancic, WKYC Digital Sports
Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku stretches to make a catch during Day Five of Training Camp at the team's Berea headquarters.

THOMAS ON THE MEND

The Browns bolstered the defensive line early in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft by selecting former University of Miami defensive end Chad Thomas with the No. 67 pick.

In 49 games over four years with the Hurricanes, Thomas registered 51 solo tackles, assisted on 52 takedowns and registered 103 total stops. Of those 103 tackles, 11 were sacks and 26 were behind the line of scrimmage for 99 lost yards.

Additionally, Thomas forced two fumbles and recovered two others, one each in his sophomore and junior seasons.

After starting training camp on the sideline because of injury, Thomas passed his physical and worked his way into the drills Monday.

“He is another big athlete who is physical,” Jackson said. “I will learn more about him when he puts on the pads full-time and comes out here and competes with our guys, but I am excited to see him when that time comes. I think that he can bring another element. From what we saw on tape when he was coming out, he is big and strong. He can hold the point and rush. It gives us another one of those types of players.”

4:00 p.m.-Tim Couch to Baker Mayfield: Be patient, learn from Cleveland Browns veteran QBs

BEREA, Ohio -- Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Tim Couch knows all about plans to wait in the wings and learn from a veteran before being given a chance to start behind center in the National Football League.

The No. 1 pick of the Browns in the 1999 NFL Draft, Couch started very early in his NFL career, and was besieged by shoulder issues after years of punishment behind patchwork offensive lines, which is why his biggest piece of advice to this year’s No. 1 overall pick, quarterback Baker Mayfield, is to be patient.

“I know he's had so much success coming off a Heisman Trophy year and all the things he did at Oklahoma, a record-setting career,” Couch said. “I'm sure he expects to walk right in here in the NFL, and then, have that type of success and I did too.

“I think every high draft pick thinks that, but this is a rebuilding football team. Are they better than they were a year ago? Absolutely. There's so much more talent on this team than there was a year ago. He's in a much better situation now, but still, you just have to be patient and don't expect too much too soon.”

Mayfield is not a typical rookie, at least not like one Hue Jackson has seen before in his NFL coaching career.

Despite being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft after winning the 2017 Heisman Trophy, Mayfield has proven himself to be a humble student of the game according to Jackson, who has worked with NFL quarterbacks for more than a decade.

“He's got a great situation to learn from Tyrod, and I think he needs to take advantage of that,” Couch said. “Tyrod's had success in this league and he knows how to play and win football games and those kind of things, so I think he really needs to take advantage of that situation and just prepare as hard as he can.

“What I tried to do was prepare like I was going to be the starter because I knew one day, I would be the starter, and I didn't want to have to get ready. I wanted to be ready, so I think Baker will do that.”

The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Mayfield is no stranger to waiting, as he walked on at two major universities before letting his talents shine. And when Mayfield got his chance to be a leader, he completed 285 of his 404 throws (70.5 percent) for 4,627 yards and 43 touchdowns against just six interceptions for an Oklahoma Sooners team that earned a trip to the College Football Playoff Semifinals in 2017.

During his three years at Oklahoma and one season with the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Mayfield completed 1,026 of his 1,497 attempts (68.5 percent) for 14,607 yards and 131 touchdowns against only 30 interceptions.

“I love his story of what he's had to do in his career,” Couch said. “He's walked on twice. He's earned everything he's ever gotten.

“He's earned being the Heisman Trophy winner. He's earned being the No. 1 pick in the draft. No one gave him anything. No one really gave him a chance, so I think that mentality that he brings to this team is pretty special, and it's one of my favorite things that I like about him.”

3:00 p.m.-BROWNS QBS FORM TIGHT BOND THROUGH FIRST WEEK OF CAMP

BEREA, Ohio -- Based on the recommendation of veteran Drew Stanton, rookie Baker Mayfield procured an RV (recreational vehicle) for the Cleveland Browns’ quarterbacks to use as a place to relax and refocus during the few breaks players get during training camp.

And after just five days of training camp, the Browns are getting an upgraded RV model delivered to their Berea training facility.

“Should be soon,” Mayfield said prior to Monday’s practice in Berea. “You guys will see it.

“The Mid-Ohio Race Track, everybody rented out the other RVs, so we had to deal with what we could take at the time, so we’ll get the upgrade when it’s available.”

Credit: Matt Florjancic, WKYC Digital Sports
The Cleveland Browns' quarterbacks have a second meeting room at training camp, and this one has wheels and a TV.

By revealing the story behind the RV when he addressed the media Saturday, Stanton essentially took credit for the idea, which is something he borrowed from former Detroit Lions quarterback Shaun Hill, who made Matthew Stafford rent one for training camp during the 2010 season.

At first, Mayfield did not believe Stanton was serious, but it did not take long to figure out he needed to get an RV for training camp.

“I asked him if he was serious and realized he was dead serious,” Mayfield said.

“It’s a place where you can get away. You’re up here all day. You do get one break right now between the walk-through and practice, so you’ve got to be able to kind of relax a little bit, unwind before practice. Whether it’s looking at your scripts and doing all of that over again, just getting your mind right.”

While the Quarterback RV has been a hot topic of conversation during training camp, its presence speaks to a greater point, that of the chemistry between Mayfield, Stanton and starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor as a position group.

“It’s a great quarterback room to be in,” Mayfield said. “It’s not very common to have one like that. We have a mutual goal, a common goal, so that makes it a lot easier. I’ve been blessed to be in this situation. The staff, management, ownership, they’ve said that since the beginning.

“The first day I got here after the draft, they said ‘You’re coming into a great quarterback room.’ Coach Zampese said that, Coach Haley said that, and that just shows the type of guys that Tyrod and Drew are. Not the type of players, but the type of men they are, and that says a lot and that shows a lot about what we’re trying to do here. We’re trying to create the right mindset, build this franchise around the right people and set the standard.”

Credit: Matt Florjancic, WKYC Digital Sports
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield attempts to throw over a simulated rush from a coach during a drill on the fourth day of training camp in Berea.

Since his arrival in Berea in May, Mayfield has formed quiet the bond with Stanton and is eager to learn more lessons from the 12-year veteran.

“I like to think I’m very relatable to a lot of people, that people just get along easily,” Mayfield said. “Drew is 10 times that. There’s a reason he’s been doing this for a long time. It’s not just of how smart he is and he’s talented, but he’s able to understand where people come from. He can have conversations, take a guy off to the side and give him tips of advice.

“He makes it easy to be around and that’s enjoyable to have a guy like that. They told me they were bringing him in here to help out the quarterbacks, and it wasn’t just the quarterbacks. He’s helping out the whole team, and that’s so exciting to see in a veteran like that.”

11:00 a.m.-BROWNS HOLD FIFTH DAY OF TRAINING CAMP

BEREA, Ohio -- The first off day of Cleveland Browns Training Camp is within sight for the players, but before Tuesday's break in the schedule, they must get through one more practice at their Berea headquarters today.

For some players, namely wide receiver Rashard Higgins, Monday's practice will be an opportunity to build onto a good practice from Sunday.

“Made plays,” Browns coach Hue Jackson said.

“That is what receivers have to do. They have to make the plays when the ball is thrown. Whether it is under-thrown, over-thrown or whatever that is, you have to make the play. That is what Rashard is starting to do. You are starting to see him show up every day, which is good to see.”

And for others, Monday's practice will offer a chance at redemption.

Although the position coach and teammates spoke highly of left tackle Shon Coleman prior to Sunday’s practice, Jackson felt the need to pull himself aside after a drill and deliver a message to the third-year blocker, who is in competition to fill the void left by Joe Thomas’ retirement back in March.

“It is Year Three of him being around me, and he knows what I expect,” Jackson said. “It is just that simple. With our guys, there is a way to do everything. He has to meet that standard. That is all it is.”

Much like his first training camp last summer, tight end David Njoku has struggled to catch the ball consistently, and Sunday’s practice was full of passes hitting the ground or getting knocked out of his hands by the defense.

“We keep working,” Jackson said. “He is a young player. He made some plays but did drop some. He has to catch the ball better than he did today. That is obvious. He will. It is Day Four. He has some work to do. It is that simple.”

FOLLOW ALONG

For the latest information out of Berea and to be a part of the discussion, tweet using the hashtag, #3Browns.

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