Browns coach Hue Jackson wants rookie wide receiver Corey Coleman and two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden to finally play in the preseason, and he’s pointing to next week for their debuts.
He’s also hopeful former All-Pro wide receiver Josh Gordon will play, too.
“I think it’s a huge week for both [Coleman and Haden],” Jackson said Friday during a conference call. “We’ve got to make sure these guys have some playing time under their belt before we get ready to go into the season because we haven’t had an opportunity to see them versus live competition. So this will be a big week for both of them.”
The Browns will hold joint practices with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Tuesday and Wednesday in Florida. Then they’ll face the Bucs in the third preseason game for both teams beginning at 8 p.m. Friday at Raymond James Stadium.
Neither Coleman (hamstring injury suffered Aug. 5) nor Haden (ankle surgery March 16) played in the Browns’ first two exhibition games, and Jackson obviously thinks it’s important for them to be back in action against the Bucs.
On Thursday night after the Browns’ 24-13 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in preseason game No. 2, Jackson also expressed optimism about Gordon (reinstated by the NFL July 25, quadriceps injury) being ready to face the Bucs.
Coleman and Gordon donned full uniforms Thursday while going through pregame warmups. Haden didn’t participate in warmups. None of them played.
“My thought was to get [Coleman] and Josh both out there in pregame so they understand the process of how we do it,” Jackson said. “Hopefully, next week, they’ll have an opportunity to both be out there and play in a game.”
So Coleman, Haden and Gordon will likely return for the third exhibition game, otherwise known as “the dress rehearsal” for the Sept. 11 regular-season opener. All three of them had been practicing this week leading up to Thursday’s game.
Gordon will serve a four-game suspension to begin the season. As for Coleman and Haden, the Browns need them in Week 1, which is why Jackson deems next week “huge” for them.
On the right track
Quarterback Robert Griffin III and the starting offense gave the Browns plenty of reasons for optimism by scoring two touchdowns and avoiding a turnover in their five series against the Falcons.
“I don’t think we’re well-oiled yet,” Jackson said after the game. “But I see potential of us being what I think we can be.”
Griffin went 6-of-8 passing for 96 yards and two touchdowns without an interception after throwing one at the goal line last week in a 17-11 preseason-opening loss to the Green Bay Packers. He posted a passer rating of 154.2.
“Robert did a nice job protecting the ball and taking advantage of some opportunities,” Jackson said Friday. “He was also good about protecting himself [by sliding at the end of 22- and 14-yard runs], which is something we’ve worked on since he’s been here.”
Griffin made great throws on touchdown passes of 50 and 29 yards to wide receiver Terrelle Pryor and tight end Gary Barnidge.
“I think the reads were exactly what they needed to be. I think the quality of the throws were excellent,” Jackson said. “I think obviously it was a heck of a catch by Barnidge, and it was a heck of a play by Terrelle Pryor.
“Both balls were where they needed to be and they went to the right people. That tells me that Robert is growing and doing what he needs to do. It tells me that our guys are getting in the right spots that create those opportunities for big plays.”
And there were other improvements on offense. For example, the No. 1 line blocked better.
“I thought there was more time for Robert,” Jackson said. “I thought the guys battled a lot harder, and that’s what you expect from Week 1 to Week 2.”
Starting running back Isaiah Crowell had seven carries for 28 yards (4.0 average) after getting just one carry for a 2-yard loss in Green Bay.
“It was good to see Isaiah Crowell make some good, strong, physical runs and watch our line block at the point of attack better than the week before,” Jackson said. “To me, that’s something of a pretty good offense. You couple that with the quarterback who doesn’t turn the ball over and who keeps us in good situations, then you have potential to have good things happen.”
Questionable hit
Falcons coach Dan Quinn said he’ll ask the NFL to review whether Browns inside linebacker Tank Carder’s blindside hit on punter Matt Bosher was illegal.
“I’d like to ask the league their opinion on it, ‘Is it a case of a defenseless hit or not?’ ’’ Quinn said, according to ESPN.com.
Carder’s block knocked Bosher out of the game in the first quarter with a chest injury. Quinn said Bosher will be OK.
“Controversy about me hitting the punter, I leaned on him,” Carder tweeted. “I could of made that hit a lot worse but I pulled off and gave him a shoulder.”
Extra points
• Jackson declined to say whether the Browns would welcome suspended cornerback K’Waun Williams back to the team. “I think right now it’s a little early to even talk about K’Waun and that situation,” Jackson said. “I think we all know he’s suspended, so when that’s done, we’ll take it accordingly from there.” Williams has appealed the two-week suspension and fine he received from the team stemming from a disagreement about the health of his right ankle. Williams’ agent said his client got a second medical opinion Wednesday at the Cleveland Clinic, where a specialist said Williams needs surgery to remove bone spurs.
• Jackson on cornerback Justin Gilbert’s performance against the Falcons: “He didn’t play as well as I think Justin can play.”
• Jackson said there were no injuries of note from Thursday’s game.
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.