Friday’s developments
• Without hesitation, Browns coach Hue Jackson said he wasn’t happy with the way the running game performed during Friday night’s scrimmage. The team’s running backs had trouble getting much traction on most of their runs. “I didn’t like it,” Jackson said. “I liked the second part of it. There were a couple of times I think [running back Isaiah Crowell] had a couple of good runs. We’ve got to get our pads down.”
• Jackson did give credit to the team’s defense. “We play in the AFC North. There are some really good defensive football teams,” Jackson said. “They’re not going to just let you walk out there and just walk up and down the field. We have got to become a gritty group up front.”
• There were moments when Crowell, playing with the first team, looked hesitant and shuffled his feet in the hole. A couple of Crowell’s solid efforts came on a touchdown drive — capped by a 41-yard scoring catch by rookie wide receiver Corey Coleman — by the first-team offense. Crowell carried the ball three consecutive times for 10, 5 and 3 yards before officials flagged the offense with a penalty. In those moments, Crowell looked as if he’d established a rhythm. “It was kind of frustrating out there today but I know what our potential is and I know what we have been doing the past days and what we will do in the future,” he said.
• Eyes remain on former first-round draft pick Justin Gilbert, who worked on the kick return unit and bobbled and dropped one kick. He also worked with the first-team defense and gave up the 41-yard touchdown to Coleman on a perfectly thrown pass from quarterback Robert Griffin III. It would have been a tough play for Gilbert to make.
• Defensive lineman Nick Hayden, a seven-year veteran, filled in for defensive end John Hughes III, who missed his third consecutive practice because of a personal matter.
• Rookie fifth-round draft pick Spencer Drango continued to work with the first-team offense. It was the second consecutive day spelling Alvin Bailey, who is working at right guard with the second team. Drango continues to get practice time ahead of one of this year’s third-round picks, offensive lineman Shon Coleman.
• Bruce Matthews, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the father of Browns backup center Mike Matthews, attended Friday’s session ... Former Michigan Wolverine Desmond Howard, a Heisman Trophy winner and a current member of ESPN’s College GameDay broadcast team, was in attendance.
• In addition to struggling in the run game, the Browns looked rusty overall, getting a number of penalties, including ones that either stopped drives or came close to doing so. “I just think we’ve got to keep working and pay attention to detail. We had too many misalignments and those types of things that we need to clean up,” Jackson said. “On defense, we have got to continue to tackle better and swarm the ball. We need to get more turnovers, but I thought it was a good effort by our guys.”
• Kicker Travis Coons missed a 50-yard field goal wide right, but was given another shot and connected on it.
• Fullback Patrick Skov, whom the Browns waived with a left leg injury, reverted back to the team’s injured reserve list.
• In addition to Hughes, also not practicing were fullback Malcolm Johnson (concussion); defensive linemen Kyle Rose (hamstring) and Nile Lawrence-Stample (shoulder); center Cam Erving (elbow); tight ends Randall Telfer (knee) and Seth DeValve (hamstring); wide receivers Josh Gordon (quad) and Andrew Hawkins (hamstring); and cornerbacks Joe Haden (ankle) and Trey Caldwell (hamstring).
Returning players: wide receivers Marlon Moore (personal) and Taylor Gabriel (heat issue), safety Don Jones (leg) and tight end E.J. Bibbs (heat).
Saturday’s schedule: The Browns are at Ohio Stadium in Columbus for the annual Orange and Brown Scrimmage at 3 p.m. The team will not be in pads.
— George M. Thomas