BEREA: The Browns didn’t surprise offensive lineman Austin Pasztor when they pushed him into the thick of their royal rumble at right tackle.
Pasztor has spent the past two practices of training camp working at right tackle with the first-team offense. Free-agent acquisition Alvin Bailey held the spot for the first five practices, and rookie fifth-round draft pick Spencer Drango manned the position for the next three sessions.
“I kind of had my mind ready for it,” Pasztor said Tuesday before the 10th practice of camp. “I know they were looking for someone to fill that role. I have 20 starts in the NFL at right tackle, so I figured I was a candidate.”
There are several candidates. Rookie third-round selection Shon Coleman is another one, though he hasn’t practiced with the starters yet.
“That is a bit unique,” Pasztor said of three or four players legitimately vying for the starting job. “Obviously when you have rookies involved, you’re not really sure what you’re getting, so sometimes that can add to the amount of people involved.”
An argument can be made the situation merits concern because the coaching staff has already resorted to its third plan at right tackle.
“It doesn’t concern me,” center Cameron Erving said. “I have complete faith in every guy who lines up beside us. It’s just wanting to give guys opportunities to make plays. That’s it. That’s how I see it, and each day a new person may be there, but it’s just trying to see who fits where the best. It’s as simple as that.”
Nine-time Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas said it’s not uncommon to have positions unsettled at this stage of camp because much will be determined in the preseason games. The Browns will face the host Green Bay Packers at 8 p.m. Friday in the exhibition opener.
Pasztor, 6-foot-7 and 308 pounds, hopes to halt the revolving door and succeed Mitchell Schwartz. The Browns’ need at right tackle was created in March when they let Schwartz, a starter the past four years, slip away to the Kansas City Chiefs as a free agent.
“Mitch is a great player,” Pasztor said, “so it’s definitely leaving big shoes to fill.”
Pasztor, 25, is the most experienced player in the competition. He’s started 27 of the 42 games in which he’s appeared. As an undrafted rookie in 2012, he started three games at left guard for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He started 12 games at right tackle in 2013 and eight in the same spot in 2014 for the Jaguars. He started four games at left guard last year for the Browns, who claimed him off waivers in September. Earlier in camp, he practiced as the No. 1 right guard until John Greco returned from a hamstring injury.
“[Pasztor is] a tough, hard-nosed guy,” Thomas said.
“He’s got a couple years of starting experience under his belt. That’s huge in the NFL to be able to have some game-time experience. It’s invaluable because things happen really fast. There is a lot to learn in a rookie season, so having a guy with some experience out there will be really important.”
Thomas said he thinks the Browns will stick with Pasztor at right tackle “for the time being,” but coach Hue Jackson insisted the position remains fluid.
“It could change next week,” Jackson said. “We’re just going to keep matching and finding out who’s best to play for us. Then once we figure that out, we’ll keep it that way.”
Snap issues
Erving returned to team drills after sitting out a few practices with a left elbow injury and showed rust while snapping out of shotgun. Three of his snaps were high, and two went over the head of quarterback Robert Griffin III.
“That’s what happens when you miss practice, when you haven’t practiced for a while,” Jackson said. “We know those balls on the ground were Cam. He’s got to get that corrected. That’s him and the quarterback. I’m not going to coach quarterback-center exchange a ton. We’re just going to fix it. It’ll get fixed. I’ve been through this dance before, so we’ll get that squared away.”
Erving said the plan is for him to play Friday.
Snap issues II
Jackson said he didn’t give quarterback Josh McCown many first-team snaps in camp because McCown told him Griffin needed them more. Jackson named Griffin the starter Monday.
“[McCown] came to me and said, ‘Hey, Coach. Make sure this guy gets all the reps he needs to be the best he can be. You know who I am,’” Jackson said on his coach’s show on 92.3 The Fan. “Obviously, he would love to have the job, too, but I think he understands his role.”
Dismal ranking
ESPN.com surveyed general managers, coaches and personnel men to rank each starting quarterback in the NFL, and Griffin finished 32nd out of 33. The poll included 33 quarterbacks instead of 32 because the San Francisco 49ers have yet to settle on Colin Kaepernick or Blaine Gabbert.
Of the 33, only Case Keenum of the Los Angeles Rams ranked lower than Griffin. ESPN.com also noted Griffin received a lower score in the survey than McCown.
No picks for you
On a brighter note for Griffin, he’s yet to throw an interception in a team drill in camp.
“It’s good for the team,” safety Ibraheim Campbell said. “It’s sort of frustrating [for the defense]. You kind of feed off of big plays as a defensive back, so you kind of need those every once in a while. The fact that he’s not providing those for us, it just means we have to work harder.”
Extra points
• Former Browns receiver and hall of famer Paul Warfield spoke to the players before practice. “Any of those guys who are former Browns players that can give our players a little wisdom about what it is, what it takes, the hard work, the dedication, the grit, the grind to be the best that you can be, I’ll do it any day and every day,” Jackson said.
• Jackson hasn’t finalized his plans for playing time in the preseason opener, but he expects to use all four quarterbacks.
• In recent practices, Pro Bowl tight end Gary Barnidge hasn’t experienced any problems stemming from the sports hernia surgery he had June 2. “Feeling good with everything,” he said. “All movement, no issues.”
• Undrafted rookie defensive lineman Kyle Rose, who was recently waived/injured, went unclaimed and reverted to the Browns’ injured reserve list.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/abj.sports.