Browns veterans and rookies appeared on the field together for the first time Tuesday as they entered phase three of the offseason conditioning program and began organized team activities.
Wednesday’s practice will be open to the media.
The team has the following OTA schedule: Tuesday through Thursday, May 24-26 and May 31-June 2. It’ll finish the fourth and final week of phase three with mandatory minicamp June 7-9.
Live contact is prohibited during OTAs and players wear helmets without pads, though seven-on-seven, nine-on-seven and 11-on-11 drills are allowed.
Everyone will have a better feel for the team once training camp begins in late July and the players don pads shortly thereafter. Nevertheless, there are storylines worth tracking in OTAs.
The overarching theme will focus on new coach Hue Jackson continuing to put his stamp on the program. Here are five other things to follow:
1. The reclamation project
Although the Browns have yet to formally name a starting quarterback for the upcoming season, they clearly plan for Robert Griffin III to fill the role. Jackson said Saturday he doesn’t have a timeline for naming a starter. It could be after mandatory minicamp in early June. It could be during training camp later this summer. Either way, Griffin is fully expected to be the choice, barring a disastrous meltdown or injury. Can he impress Jackson and the rest of the coaching staff enough in OTAs to be anointed the starter sooner than later? Of course, the more important question centers on whether he’ll be able to capitalize on the opportunity by reviving what was such a promising career when he led Washington to the playoffs as a rookie in 2012.
2. Hue’s handpicked passer
There’s plenty to like about rookie quarterback pick Cody Kessler: his leadership ability, charismatic personality, 67.5 career completion percentage at the University of Southern California, training in high school with Oakland Raiders Pro Bowl quarterback Derek Carr under the guidance of former No. 1 overall pick David Carr and list of mentors from USC, which includes former Browns quarterback Paul McDonald. Neither his size (6-foot-1¼ and 220 pounds) nor arm strength are ideal, though, and the cool, windy conditions during Saturday’s rookie minicamp practice at FirstEnergy Stadium exposed the latter by contributing to some wobbly passes. But Jackson loved Kessler enough to bet on him in the third round and then tell the public to trust him about the pick. So will Kessler develop enough during OTAs to lead the Browns to part with veteran Josh McCown?
3. Comeback requires patience
Two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden won’t practice during OTAs, but he’s expected to address beat writers Wednesday for the first time since he had left ankle surgery March 16. Haden will have a chance to shed light on how exactly the injury occurred and his anticipated timetable for recovery. Browns head of football operations Sashi Brown said in March it was too early to know whether Haden would be ready for the Sept. 11 regular-season opener at the Philadelphia Eagles. Haden missed 11 games last year with two concussions and other injuries, only to suffer another setback this offseason. The Browns need him to become a comeback player of the year candidate if they hope to field a respectable defense. There are so many questions in their secondary, even if he’s back at full force.
4. Youngsters shaping up
On Friday, Jackson publicly and privately challenged some rookies to improve their conditioning, singling out wide receiver and first-round pick Corey Coleman as an example. Coleman admitted Saturday the coach’s criticism is “the truth” and vowed to work himself into football shape. It won’t happen overnight, though the goal is certainly for the rookies to catch up to the veterans from a conditioning standpoint as soon as possible. Coleman, Kessler and wide receiver Ricardo Louis, a fourth-round selection, are scheduled to attend the NFLPA Rookie Premiere Thursday through Saturday in Los Angeles, meaning they’ll miss at least one practice and resume grinding in earnest next week.
5. Position battles preview
Players will vie for starting jobs at too many positions to list here, and most of those competitions will be fuzzy until the pads are dusted off in August. Still, OTAs provide a peek at who’s the front-runner, if there is one, in a particular position battle heading into training camp. It’ll be a pro wrestling-style royal rumble on the offensive line at right tackle with Alvin Bailey, Michael Bowie, Austin Pasztor and rookies Shon Coleman and Spencer Drango in the mix. Cameron Erving is the favorite at center, though undrafted rookie Mike Matthews’ presence as a safety valve can’t be ignored. Four drafted receivers (Coleman, Louis, Jordan Payton and Rashard Higgs) will try to take jobs from Brian Hartline, Andrew Hawkins, Taylor Gabriel, Terrelle Pryor and other veterans. Both safety spots are up for grabs with Jordan Poyer, Rahim Moore, Ibraheim Campbell and rookie Derrick Kindred the primary candidates. Travis Coons’ tendency to kick the ball low — four of his field goals were blocked last season — sparked the search for an upgrade, so he’ll try to hold off undrafted rookie Brad Craddock and perhaps other challengers who have yet to be signed.